


Two songs, one world

by Snowdrop7



Category: Os Dez Mandamentos (Brazil TV 2016), The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (TV), The Prince of Egypt (1998)
Genre: Adopted Children, Cleaved Earth with other worlds, Crossover, Epic Friendship, Gen, Interspecies Adoption, Mixed Media, Multi, TW: Egyptians comitting infanticide, The Plagues are just as creepy, Two worlds, expect notable names, for storytelling purposes, gelfling in Goshen, human in Thra, two ocs adopted into different cultures, with elements and characters from the Brazilian soap opera Oz Dez mandamentos
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-15
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:07:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 26,910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27572812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snowdrop7/pseuds/Snowdrop7
Summary: It took one man to free a nation from bondage, but it would take two liberators to lead an elusive civilization away from extinction.
Relationships: Moses/Tzipporah (Prince of Egypt), Original Gelfling Character/Original Gelfling Character, Original Male Character/Original Female Character
Comments: 11
Kudos: 6





	1. Footprints in the sand

**Author's Note:**

> Just a reminder: While artistic and historical license has been taken, this fanfic intends (or attempt) to share the essence, values and integrity of a classical story that is a cornerstone of faith for millions of people worldwide.

_1300 BC_

It was late at night. A young couple dressed in rags was hurrying through the desert. The woman was heavily pregnant, and a sandstorm was brewing, yet they dared not look nor turn back. They knew full well what punishment awaited them if they’d been seen escaping, but they feared worse what would’ve happened if they had stayed.

Within mere seconds, the wind began howling in their ears, and felt as though the sand was repeatedly being thrown at them. There was no cover, all they could do was press onward…

By daybreak, the woman stirred and began to reach for the hand of her husband and felt something else entirely… something cool and thin. Like grass. What?

She wiped the sand away and opened her eyes. Beside her, her husband did the same and they beheld a wonderful sight.

They had been laying in a hilly terrain starting from a desert full of bright rocks that led straight into a dense forestal section. It's also abounding with evergreen trees, grass, and gigantic wildflowers.

Surely they’ve reached an oasis!

Utterly relieved, the couple embraced and got down to their knees, extending their arms and hands out to the sky.

 _"Baruch ata Adonai!"_ they praised.

Cautiously they entered the wood in search of food and shelter, the couple slowly observing their new surroundings with a mixture of awe and mindfulness. The plants and local wildlife were just about the strangest they’ve ever seen. They’ve seen small shrubs get up and walk, peculiar creatures some that looked like they better belonged to riverbeds or the coast rather than the forest.

And then they trekked up a considerably small hill that overlooked a clearing, from where they could hear a variety of voices. Carefully, they approached hoping it wasn’t who they feared.

To their astonishment, within the clearing they saw dozens of small human-like creatures—old and young, male and female—moving about in the clearing. Mounds of boulder and stone were that the small villagers have built their homes into, though other dwellings are built within the trees. And in the center of the village stood a tall cylindrical forge, which by squinting a little they saw contained several blades.

A part of they wanted to be among them, listening to the music they made and looking into their large, bright eyes. However, the couple quietly shied away into the wilderness, uncertain of whether they were welcoming or not.

With only their faith and their own hands, the couple made a life there in the forest. The man made do with bringing back fallen wood to carve into utensils and simple objects, and his pregnant wife learned to make meals from the wild fruits and other such delicacies of the dark wood.

During this time, she gave birth to a healthy boy. At night, by the light of a campfire, the young mother told her infant son the stories of their people and rocked him to sleep in a cradle her husband had made from a hollowed-out tree trunk. These were happy times. But they did not last.

For one night, while the man was out gathering firewood, a dreadful figure stalked the forest, seeking food, and smelled the man from a few feet away. When it pounced, the man had caught by surprise. He’d taken a heavy branch, attempting to keep his vicious attacker at bay. But sadly, he was no warrior.

"Ilya, _nusi_!" He’d hollered to his wife.

The ensuing screams had alerted the inhabitants of the village the couple had seen weeks before. Wary, their leader had sent out scouts to investigate. Which brought them to the cave, but the entrance had been covered with a sort of textile blanket.

Without realizing what they were seeing, the village scouts slowly ventured into the cave. Parts of the hideaway were carpeted with soft animal skins and a homemade loom sat in a corner. That was when one of them noticed the red trail of blood, much like the one they’d seen yards away from the village.

But this was splashed on the ground, not too far from the tented entrance. Which meant that the creature, the hunter must’ve killed the poor souls that had been trying to hide in the wood.

And then they heard the wails of a newborn infant coming from somewhere within the hidden corners of the cave.

"It sounds like a baby!"

"The cries are coming from over here!"

The scouts approached and were met with quite a surprise. The gathered stared at the infant that looked different from their own childlings and yet so similar. At first the baby was bewildered by the strange sight, then he giggled and reached out to be held. One of the females obliged, taking the child into her arms, swaddling clothes and all.

"Strange, I don’t recall the pattern of this. It doesn’t seem to fit with any of the gelfling clans." One of the males commented, examining the fabric of the baby’s blanket.

The cloth had lines and was made of some foreign material they cannot recall. Most likely it was from the baby’s clan. And with a sinking feeling in the pit of their stomachs, the scouts understood that the blood trails they found were all that remained of the baby’s mother and father.

"Nevertheless, he’s still so young. We can’t leave him here, it’s much too dangerous." The female who picked up the baby insisted then looked to the baby, "Don’t you wish to come home with us to Stone-in-the-wood?"She gently cooed to the baby, who gurgled happily.

"That settles it then, he’s returning with us. Surely, our clan Maudra wouldn’t turn him out."

"There’s still the matter of the name." reminded one of them.

The female mused for a moment before being struck with inspiration. "Your name will be Liron."

The baby laughed as he was held by his new mother, feeling her face.

"That’s right, Liron! And we’ll make a fine Stonewood warrior out of you!" The gelfling lady cheered, lifting the baby to her with pride.

* * *

Times were hard. The blight had affected the entire garden she’d harvested. Best head for the thicket. The afflicted mother walked on, seeing a large cart with foreign merchants gathering fresh cherry squash and other edible vegetation. She placed her child on the cart edge, none of the drivers saw them.

Her little daughter squeaked a little, then almost plopped backwards when the cart began to move. Where were they going?

Just a few short hours afterward, it all felt from a template atmosphere to a sort of dry heat. Yet the childling paid no mind and instead snacked on some of the goodies and the water jug in the cart whenever she was hungry or thirsty.

Soon, the childling sat up, rubbing her eyes as the cart finally reached its destination. First it went through a vast entry surrounded by large white walls and funny looking figures.

Next, as the cart slowed down, she saw people. But none like her mother, they were taller. Much, much taller. And some of them had hair on their faces and their clothes were old and tattered. Yet they looked rather sad as they pushed strangely shaped boulders and stomped through mud. She kept eyeing them with artless interest before the cart stopped briefly.

Having had enough and wanting to walk, she clambered out and landed in the sandy ground. Once she got to her feet, she saw that the taller grown ones were starting to walk away. They were probably going home. Maybe to the place her mother had taken her to once where they ate nice things and she got to play with other childlings.

So she followed them. Unknowingly to a place of simple huts and shacks and many more of the tall ones.

No one else appeared to see the strange childling toddling into the village and walked among its people.

Then two men, one young and one old, were unknowingly headed in her direction. They and several of the men were coming back from a hard day’s work of brick building and other back breaking labors.

"Any word of Zevach and Ilya yet?" asked the old man.

"No, and poor old Diyshan is going out of his mind with worry." replied the younger one shaking his head.

But then they noticed the wandering childling.

"Whose child is that?" The old man squinted, the babe didn’t look like anyone he knew in the village.

His companion was equally perplexed. "Where did you come from, little one?"

The little child walked right up to the men, unafraid. Gently the younger man picked her up from under her armpits. And the moment he did, something bright hung down from the toddler’s shoulder blades.

The man is surprised at first but then laughs it off. "It’s a baby that has wings." He looked her over carefully.

The old man with him tickled the child’s arm earning a giggle. "And brightly colored ones at that! Well, look at you – all clean with not a speck of dust or sand."

Yet they both wondered why the little one looked so odd. Her face was triangular with wide cheekbones tapering to a pointed chin. Her blue-green eyes were large, wide and set apart on either side of a button nose. And there was the strange green tinge on her ears, which looked so much like those of a horse.

Nevertheless, the younger man, Eber, took the child home to his wife, Menuha, who was delighted.

"Poor little thing, she must be thirsty. But where’d she come from?" she wondered serving water to the child.

Eber shrugged. "Not a clue, she just wandered right up to me and old Eldad without fear as we were coming back from work with everyone else. You don’t suppose she’s been abandoned?"

"Shame on them!" His wife scowled. "One who cannot become a mother and several of those that do, toss them aside like rags just because they’re different!" And she held the little girl close. "Well if your parents don’t want you, then I’ll love you just as much as though you were our very own! And I’ve got a lot of motherly love to give."

Her husband gently ruffled the toddler’s hair. "And plenty fatherly love from me as well. It won’t be all smiles and such, but we’ll make do to make sure you grow up happy and healthy, and who knows? Someday we’ll all live free."

"Free… Why, that’s what I’m going to call you: Herut." Menuha smiled. "Someday our people will fly away from here."


	2. Centuries old and unbending

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The two foundlings in their respective new homes reach childhood and soon notice their own differences compared to their adoptive family.

Some say that when the universe either came into being or was created by the Great Father, that several worlds have merged with the Earth. No one knows how or why.

And one of the most notable of the realms was Thra.

Beautiful, mysterious, sometimes frightening and full of wondrous beings. And at its center was the Crystal of truth, the Heart of Thra. Sometime later, sensing the sorrow of the rocks and trees over not having the ability to speak or see, Aughra was created to act as the voice and eyes of Thra herself. Ever since the land was young and new, Aughra protected the crystal. For she knew the crystal connected all the creatures of Thra. But closest to her heart, were the small human-like beings, known as gelfling. Natives that were highly adaptable and as such throughout the centuries, rapidly adopting new traits better suited to their environments.

Seven Clans of Gelfling call Thra home, from the proud Vapra in the Mountain city of Ha'rar, the most cultured of the Gelfling who rule over the seven Clans. To the fierce Stonewood, who dwell in the endless forest, renowned for their prowess in battle and the gentle Grottan, that live deep beneath the ground in perfect harmony with all of Thra, forgotten by the world above.

And seven times the rains have come and gone since the Stonewood have found the baby. Within yonder clearing was Stone-in-the-wood, making the Stonewood one of the more prosperous clans thanks to the abundant natural resources and the prestige they enjoyed from their proximity to the Castle of the Crystal.

It was there that the Stonewood scouts had taken the orphaned child of man, the boy they called Liron. With the blessing of Maudra Fara, he was given to the widow Sulin to raise as her son.

Daily life in Stone-in-the-Wood was dictated by daily tasks assigned by the Maudra and her council of elders. Among its members were many blacksmiths, woodcrafters, stoneworkers, fire keepers, gardeners and hunters alike.

Work lasted all day, and concluded at sunset with a communal meal at the village hearth. Their diet included animals and fruits taken from the forest washed down with a cup of Black River water. Stonewood apothecaries had also mastered the art of turning the poisonous slime of the Arara Tree into an intoxicating beverage. Liron was six when he first attempted to try it, only for his mother to snatch it out of his hands and pass it to the next.

While naming presenting a young gelfling is essentially the same as it is in other Gelfling communities, the celebration of the first Name Day (birthday in gelfling culture) the Stonewood have an additional ritual of passage. When a youngling celebrates the sixth anniversary of their Name Day, the little ones whose Name Days fall within the same season are sent to climb Bolentor, the stone tower, without the guidance of the adults. Each childling is sent to the summit with a small chisel. Once they reach the top, they are to find a stone that fits their liking and carve a sigil into it. This becomes the sign of their name, memorialized with the hundreds of other sigils carved before them.

Liron climbed and found smooth stone where he carved a simple six-pointed star. It was simple yet fitting for him.

When they were younger, the other childlings would have make-believe adventures in such places. They'd play fight each other using sticks for swords. Then one day Liron had climbed onto the rocks to find them. At first the boys slopped in mid-fight and stared. Some didn’t trust him because of how different he was.

But when he’s the only one tall enough to reach the best fruit patches, they warmed up. One of the older boys said. "Why not?"- and so Liron was allowed to play, his chores didn't get in the way at least.

It was nice to find a moment to just sit together after the rush of the day and the animated hullabaloo of supper when everyone tries to tell everyone else what they did, all at the same time. And some nights, they’d sit and share stories together.

Liron always looked forward to hearing the wonderful stories his mother told or the song tellers performed for the clan. Family stories were not the only ones he’d heard. There were tales of the folk hero Jarra-Jen. It was the tale regarding The Horn of Thunder that resonated the most with Liron. Each time the little boy heard the story, especially of how Creghel kept his own people enslaved, he felt some eerie form of familiarity. He wondered for what awful reasons could anyone enslave their own? It was wrong and was always relieved to hear Jarra’s-Jen’s victory of freeing the slaves.

In the years that followed, Sulin protected her foster child from the naysayers and the forest's other dangers. But Liron was clever and intelligent. He was strong, too, and could speed from branch to branch. However he soon noticed he was different. When he saw his reflection in a pool, he felt ugly compared to his smaller fellows. For Liron had seen many gelfling of the other clans come and go, often for trading purposes or business with the Maudra. Each of them diverse: from the amphibious teal-braided Drenchen, the olive skinned Spriton, the curly haired Sifa and even glimpses of the fair Vaprans. Yet not one of them looked anything like him.

"Mother, why am I so different?" He’d asked his adoptive mother.

"Not one of us is exactly the same, Liron. Each one has a different talent they are good at." responded Sulin.

"Yet I cannot fly, nor can I dream fast or dream etch like the others. My size rivals only that of the Skeksis themselves, and that’s if they’re standing up straight."

The very first time Liron saw the Lords of the Crystal, the skeksis, was when two of them were gathering tithes from the village. The childling had never seen anything like these giant predatory looking things, and he watched them with silent intrigue. And a vague sense of fear.

Sulin pondered. "I know you possess two eyes, like mine, a nose, two ears. And let's see, what else?"  
  


"But _I am_ different. Where did I come from?"

"The same place as all other children… from above." Sulin replied. "We also have something else in common." She places moves Liron’s to his chest.

"My heart?"

"It beats the same as mine." Sulin intoned. "I might not have brought you into the world, yet either by chance or fate, I found you then took you in as one of our own with the Maudra’s blessing. Then you learned from us, from me, Liron. And that makes you my child no matter what anyone else says. Regardless of what you look like, you’ll find a way to make good use of the gifts you’ve been given." she reassured her adoptive son.

"I'm going to become somebody. I don't know how exactly, but I am. I have to... somehow."

Liron knew not that once he was grown, that he would be dealing with the Skeksis far differently than those before.

* * *

Meanwhile, little Herut’s appearance has caused quite a stir in Goshen the same evening of her arrival. Her peculiar appearance had taken all the other inhabitants there were greatly aback. They’d never seen anything like her at all.

"Well, isn't that..."

  
"Why, it's, it's just so..."

  
One of the little boys -the eldest of five sons - curiously wandered closer to look. "And how come she’s got wings and we don’t?"

  
"Nadab, that’s not polite!" His mother, Elisheba, scolded her eldest.

"Where on Earth did you find that thing?" A short, plain woman asked, wrinkling her nose at the sight of Herut.

"I can answer that one." Old Eldad spoke up. "She wandered right up to me and Eber just everyone else was coming back from the brickyard, and alone, I might add."

  
One of Nadab’s younger brothers, Eleazar, questioned innocently. "What is it?"

  
"She's a baby." Eber answered. "Just like Hosea was three years ago."

  
"So, where's her mama?"  
  


Menuha smiles. "Well, I'm going to be her mother now."

"Get rid of it! It doesn’t belong with us!" One of the men in darker clothes snapped.

"I have seen it, the waif is trouble. We must send her away!" Another man, with grizzled brown hair and grey clothes grimaced.

"Just what make you think a harmless toddler could be trouble, Korach?" A middle-aged woman demanded crisply, hands on her hips.

"She looks nothing like our people, let alone the Egyptians. And an orphan? We don’t have so much as a clue about what sort of people her parents were! They could’ve been thieves, spies or murderers!" Korach spat back. "Such children cannot be trusted!"

Menuha actually scoffed, holding the childing protectively in her arms. "That’s ridiculous! Children don’t always repeat the same decisions as their parents once they’re grown. Furthermore, Eber and I prayed to the Good Lord for a child for some time. Do you honestly think now that we discovered a foundling that no one has claimed, we’re going to give her up?"

Eber also let out a snort of disgust. "If we catered to you every time you claim things should go your way, we’d ALL be working the quarry. The child stays with us!"

"And just look at her, she’s so sweet." The same lady that spoke in favor of Herut, who had been standing with the little boys’ mother said, gently allowing little Herut to grasp her index finger.

"Exactly, Yocheved." Menuha nods.

Korach snapped. "Mark my words! The gamin shall be the downfall of us all!"

"GOODNIGHT KORACH!" Eber sternly pointed to the village pathways indicating it was time for the man to leave.

Korach grumbled and stormed off, his cronies following. Some of the crowd departed, only Yocheved and her family lingered a little with Eber and Menuha.

Years later, Herut became a childling that has adapted well to the climate and the harsh living conditions of Egypt. More than that, she’d taken to her adoptive parents’ culture like a butterfly to flowers.

"Mother, what we going to do today?" Herut asked.

Menuha answered. "I'm going to take you to the fields. You’ll be gathering the wheat we use to make bread for ourselves and everyone else. Then the women and I will teach you how to bake."

"Mother, you know what?"

"What?"

"We're not the only ones here."

"Where did you hear that?"

"That lady with the funny hair who came by the well, once – Judith! She told me."

Menuha nods, remembering the meek woman who’d married an Egyptian overseer. "Well, she's right. There are many people in Egypt besides us, the Hebrews and the Egyptians."

"Then why don't I ever see any of the others besides Mrs. Yocheved’s family and Mr. Eldad? Or the ones in the village?"

"You will, sooner than you think."

"In the city?"

"At a distance, preferably. Hush now. We’ll be at the fields shortly."

Many different kinds of people roamed the streets of the city. They were all colors, from pale skinny-looking men to powerful Nubians. Mostly the people were clean shaven, both on head and face. Aside from the others in Goshen, that could only mean the bearded ones were foreigners. Egyptians obviously did not like hair. But sadly none like her. In all the years she lived with her parents, she’d never seen anyone with ears like hers or with wings.

Herut remembered the afternoon she’d given her wings a try, she’d hopped off a wall and flew right to the top of the hut where her family lived. She not only scared her parents, but had given the neighbors a fright.

"Hello Mr. Amram! Father, look! I flew to the roof!" Herut called with childish delight.

Eber dropped his bag of grain and ran to his home in great alarm. "Don’t move, we’ll get you down!"

It had to take the neighbors to gather ladders to fetch Herut from the top of the roof. Most of them were mystified with such an accomplishment, some were afraid, while the little ones cheered her on.

However, an extraordinary feat it was, her parents had worried for her safety. Not only due to the obvious: seeing their child up at such a high height would terrify any parent. There was also the matter of what would happen if any of the Egyptians were to see her flying.

"You must hide your wings from now on." Eber told Herut.

"But why? What for?" she’d questioned.

"If the soldiers see you have wings to fly, they’d take you away. Maybe worse!" Menuha expressed.  
  


From then on, she had to wear a heavy vest that hid her wings from view. There was also the time she got her first glimpse of a royal entourage. She and her mother had been on their way home when the people had started to clear a path. Herut stared dumfounded, wondering what was going on.

"Herut, it’s dangerous! Get down!" Menuha pulled down the childling by her arm and had her bow her head.

Briefly, Herut raised her gaze to see guards and men carrying a throned palanquin and on it was a man in a strange headdress like the other Egyptian men wore but much fancier.

"Why was everyone still when he came through the streets?" Herut had asked Menuha once everything calmed.

"All the Egyptians respect him. He rules the land of Egypt, The Pharaoh."

By the time she was nine, Herut would soon learn why her parents had been so glum when she was of age to join the older ones out of the house.

What felt like some unseen day of production, turned out to be hard, backbreaking labor. The Hebrew men spent the day carrying the largest bricks they had ever seen and loading them on the scaffolding for a construction project. Other slaves were making the bricks, mixing clay and straw, shaping the bricks and setting them to dry in the scorching sun. Not a moment's rest was permitted. The slave master saw to that.

Herut got her first work day by bringing water to the Hebrew workers and those in charge of the construction. The former had been surprised, others a little wary, but the thirst proved to be more important than the physical appearance of the new water girl.

And sadly Herut would see at firsthand how terrible the Egyptians were to the Hebrews.

"I will not continue to bear your incompetence!" One man, this was an Egyptian slave master. At the moment, he was shoving and pushing an old man.

"Have mercy, please sir. I didn’t mean to." The old man pleaded.

"Why don’t you die once and for all?" The slave master snapped. "That would be one less mouth for the Pharaoh to feed!"

Herut was appalled. That was no way to talk to an elderly person! "But he’s not as fast as he once was, it’s no fault of his." she’d blurted out candidly.

"You hold your tongue, little brat!" The slave master shoved her back. "Stay out of this, or you’ll get whipped too!"

Herut fell back on the dusty ground, bewildered. A Hebrew woman then stormed up to the slave master. "First you're going to hit an old man, and now you’re bothering little children?! I’ve forgotten just how much a coward, you are, Apuki!"

What followed was still somewhat of a blur. One of the Hebrew men had run forwards to the Hebrew woman’s defense while the guards held him back. The slave woman had stumbled and fallen beside Herut and the old man. Then the slave driver, Apuki, had begun to whip the two girls.

Poor Herut. It felt as though the man held a thorny branch that was on fire and begun to beat her with it!

The punishment would’ve gone on longer if one of the other slaves hadn’t run up got the slave master to stop. Whatever he said seemed to work. Finally the Hebrew man held by the guards was released. Then Apuki barked at the three that were still on the ground. "Off with you, and take that useless old man with you!" and to the other slaves he yelled, "Let this be an example! It does not matter if it is a man, a woman, old or young ... if they disobey, they will know my whip! Back to work!"

He cracked his whip, and they did not feel they could argue. When he walked away, the Hebrew man that had been held by the guards went to the woman and helped her up. "Forgive me, sister." He’d said.

The man’s sister got up silently then looked to Herut, who was in tears. The man who’d convinced the slave driver to stop whipping them then said to the woman, "It’s best if you and the little one leave, Miriam." 

The woman – Miriam replied. "I’ll go, I’ll be alright."

Herut wiped her eyes before she and the men helped the old man to his feet. Then she followed Miriam back to Goshen. She didn’t feel much like talking, fearing she might lose her own composure with who she thought was a much stronger woman than she. They didn’t see the old man from before hobble after them until he got their attention.

"My daughters… May God bless you both." The old man said to them. "You were so brave."

Herut nods and Miriam smiled sadly. "Thank you." she responded.

"Does it hurt?" He questioned referring to the whipping they’d received.

"I can endure it." Miriam replied, "I’m far more worried about the young one here. She’s still small and new to the labor."

"I just need to see Mother, will you be alright?" Herut questioned.

"It won't matter," answered the old man gently, "I'm so tired I can sleep standing up if that big brute will look the other way."

Herut nodded somberly, "Then go home and rest, sir. It looks like you need it more than I."

Miriam then said, "Someday our suffering will end. _Emuna_."

"Shalom." The old man bid them goodbye.

Often times the tasks required either the children or young ones to fetch water from the Nile for materials, where the waters lay like a mirror beneath the brilliant blue sky. On the first day she was sent out, Herut and some of the women from Goshen were gathering water. As she was about to dip her small hands into the lake, she caught a glimpse of her own reflection in the waters. Her heart sank. She’d never actually looked at herself before.

When she compared herself to some of the kinder Hebrew women, she was so ugly! Her little body was covered in ragged clothes and the wooly vest that hid her wings made her look broad shouldered. She was suddenly ashamed of her ears. They were more noticeable compared to the simple ones the others had. And why did she have that greenish coloring on both her ears and where her hairline began? The little one dipped her hands into the river and tried to scrub it off, as if she could make the memory of the image go away. But it was too late. She had seen. And for the first time, she saw that she was different from everyone she knew.

That same afternoon, old Eldad found Herut diligently working on the dough for the daily bread. She looked morose and sop he asked her what was wrong.

Herut shook her head quietly. "Nothing."

"Oh, come now. No secrets. You tell old Eldad, huh?"

"Well, this morning some of the women and children went to the river to fetch water."

"what happened?"

"I went to fill the jugs and saw myself in the water... but I don’t look like any of the girls or women here in the village. They’re all prettier than me."

"Oh! Now, now, y-you listen to me, _hamuda_." It doesn’t matter how you look, you’re extraordinary.

"No, I’m not. Even Mr. Dathan and his friends say so."

Eldad soured for a moment. "Well of course they’d say that. And yet they’re troublemakers all on their own. Well, what do they know?" He said firmly, "Now look, maybe to some here they don’t see your worth. But you certainly are precious to your _Ima_ and _Aba_."

Gently, Mr. Eldad lifted Herut’s chin.

"For a long time after they married, they’d prayed to be blessed with a child yet they weren’t. Then one day, you showed up and brought them joy. You were born with all the unique abilities and talents Adonai has given you. You don’t need to compare yourself with anyone else."

"Honest?"

"Of course, but you've got to believe it."

So Herut continued working with her mother and the women. The slave labor made her resilient, but her heart made her kind. For with each dawn she found new hope that someday her people’s dreams of freedom would come true.


	3. Changes begin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liron is given an important job, while Herut and the people who took her in reunite to reminisce about their faith.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning! The latter part won't hold back the grim and darker facts to the Exodus - particularly the horrific death sentence the Pharaoh gave out regarding Hebrew baby boys.
> 
> TW: Egyptians comitting infanticide

Time changes everything. The seasons blossomed and faded, the boy called Liron often stared at the starry sky and pondered the riddle as to what he was and where he’d come from. But though he was tall as the Crystal Lords, his ways were those of the Stonewood gelfling.

When he was an adolescent, Sulin was recruited to the Castle of the Crystal. She worried about what that absence might mean to Liron later in his life, not to mention how hard it was for her to be away and miss the later milestones.

She needn’t have been too concerned. Many of the youngsters have found their hand at tasks within their woodland home, and Sulin was beyond proud of her boy, Liron. In his late teens, he was the tallest of the group. And with both extensive training from the experienced veteran and tracking out in the forest, he soon joined his mother and several Stonewood brethren as a castle guard.

His stay there was quite an experience, he’d met diverse gelfling. He learned so much about them just by patrolling, keeping watch and escorting the skeksis Lords. Their culture, their hopes and their dreams. Among them were three youngsters about three years his senior – each from a different clan.

Due to his height, strength and combined dedication, the skeksis (well, a handful of the higher ups) and the Captain of the Guard had seen Liron would make powerful asset as a guard especially out on the field.

It was on this day that Liron would be part of the armed escorts for the tithing ceremony in Ha'rar – it was a propitious opportunity for him to finally see more of Thra. For the majority of his young life, Liron had only seen the Endless forest, the Spriton plains as well as their village in Sami Thicket and the Castle.

"Remember your oath: we protect the lords, the lord protect the crystal, and when one of us fails in our duty, we all fail!" Captain Ordon intoned.

"By the Crystal!" the soldiers responded dutifully.

"Positions!"

SkekLach sighed boredly, "Another trine, another wretched carriage ride to Ha'rar and another terminable tithing ceremony."

SkekOk responded, "I enjoy the Gelfling capital. I think it possesses a certain malodorous charm…"

The Captain had just finished talking to a young gelfling couple – two of them which were Liron’s friends. A Stonewood youth who was the Captain’s eldest son and a Vapran maiden. Sadly due to their antics, the captain accompanying them, leaving Tolyn in command.

"Sorry, see you in a couple of days." Liron mouthed to them apologetically, before hurrying into position.

Quietly, the couple nodded once and watched as their taller friend went to his ride.

"The Lords are due in Ha'rar before sundown, we march!" The Captain ordered.

Liron, frowned a little, he already knew he would be too tall for a landstrider, but it’s not as though he can hold on to the back of the carriage.

And so he left with them to the gelfling capital, never knowing that he had at least one blood relative living as a slave miles away, or that on this very night, the very race that had taken him in as their own would be in grave danger.

* * *

It was many years now, Herut continued working with her mother and the women. She’d learned to weave, bake and secretly – she watched how the other men worked. Though she could never chisel stone or work with metals as well as the men she knew. It was a constant cause of annoyed that many still see her as a little girl.

On this day however, she excitedly awaited the return of her father, Eber, and that of Hosea from building the Temple of Abu Simbel.

She and Menuha were with Yocheved and her daughter in law Elisheba at the docks waiting for familiar faces among the slaves returning from the finished temple of Abu Simbel.

"Drunk you say?" Yocheved questioned.

"Tripping all over their feet. Disgraceful!" Elisheba confirmed on what her two eldest sons have been up to.

Yocheved shook her head. "Nadab and Abihu cannot go on like this."

"I don’t know what else to do." Elisheba admitted ruefully. "Aaron must be angry that they haven’t shown up for work."

"And to stand up their younger brothers by leaving them with the heavy lifting to boot." grumbled Menuha.

She and her family were good neighbors to Yocheved and as such, knew what kind of problems each went through. Yocheved, her husband Amram and Mr. Eldad were the closest people Herut got to having grandparents.

"I don’t see him yet…" Herut mumbled, keeping her eyes on the dock.

"He’ll be there." Menuha soothed.

"Look! They’re already disembarking!" Yocheved alerted.

Elisheba had her hands together. "May God have brought back our Hosea!"

Since the death of their good friends Num and Amalia, their only child Hosea had become like a fifth son to Aaron and his wife.

Herut squinted and suddenly pointed. "I see him! And my father too!"

Elisheba and Yocheved held hands in relief, Aaron then stepped up behind them. "It looks like I got there just in time."

"It’s Hosea, our boy has come home alive!" Elisheba gasped.

Herut couldn’t wait. "Father! Hosea, over here!" she’d excitedly began calling out and waving at them.

She and the other hurried over to the disembarking slaves to greet their returning loved ones. Eber had been talking to Hosea, a young man in reddish garments and another one in light brown. At the sound of their voices they’d turned and brightened.

Herut ran to her adoptive father, even as a young adolescent she could only reach up to hug his waist. Even so, he picked up his daughter from under her armpits as he did when she was a childling. Then he embraced his beloved wife.

Elisheba ran to her foster son. "My son, you’ve come home!"

"God has protected me all this time, Mother." said Hosea. "Now he’s brought me home."

"I always knew you’d come back, I never doubted it." Yocheved confirmed warmly.

Aaron went to hug his foster son. "We’ve missed you my son."

"And I you, father."

"Hosea!"

The young man smiled and knelt down to Herut’s level. "Now this can’t be Herut. You're a foot taller than her."

"Very funny, you know it’s me!" Herut snarked back.

"It is? I've missed you." Hosea hugged her tight. "How is everyone? Aunt Miriam, Grandfather, Nadab, Eleazar, Abihu and Ittamar?"

"They’re all alive by the grace of God." Menuha replied. "And there’s more."

"Eleazar married and has had a baby." Aaron explained.

"Eleazar?!" Hosea was delighted.

"And they’re all so anxious to see you." Yocheved added.

Hosea then said, "I want to introduce you to a friend." He beckoned the young man in brown forward. "This is Caleb."

" _Shalom Alihei._ "

"Shalom." they all greeted

"This is my adoptive father Aaron, my grandmother Yocheved and my mother Elisheba. Eber, you already know, his wife Menuha and their daughter Herut are our next-door neighbors."

"Any friend of Hosea is a friend of ours," Menuha smiled.

"The truth is Caleb is more than a friend, he’s a brother I found far from Pi-Ramses."

"It looks like we have another son, Elisheba, now there’s six."

They all laughed good-naturedly.

"We better hurry…"

"What’s going on here? One of the overseers from the boat disembarked and glared at the two families. What do you think this is a party?"

"We were only greeting these young arrivals." Menuha replied.

"That can wait. These slaves has to present themselves to the head officials, at once. Now move it, all three of you!" The overseer then glared at Aaron. "And you why aren’t you working?"

"We’re going!" Eber placated.

"We’ll see you later." Hosea nodded as he, Eber and Caleb began to walk in two lines with the other slaves who’d recently arrived.

"We best get going before they notice your absence." Elisheba muttered.

"Everything will be alright, Korach is covering me." Aaron said to her.

Herut pursed her lips, she and her parents couldn’t understand how Aaron could trust Korach. Since childhood, Korach, Dathan and Aviram had always treated her as an outsider.

The young gelfling resisted the temptation to fight back against the Egyptians, knowing that it was forbidden. Instead she stubbornly dedicated herself to finishing the labor and aiding the other Hebrew women with their tasks.

Korach saw this as a sign of weakness and never lost an opportunity to bully Herut, shaming her before the rest.

"Life will be kinder to you, once you accept this way of life and understand it's better for you to be seen and not heard." Korach had once told Herut.

His plain, petty wife, Bina, was no different. Whereas, their two preadolescents sons, Elkanah and Assir, treated Herut like a friend – for they’d been fascinated with her wings (and the possibility of seeing her fly someday). Also Sapphira, Bina’s sister, was more agreeable. It was only the unwavering support from her family, friends and the stories/faith that made life as a slave bearable.

Then Yocheved’s words made her ears prick up.

"I dream of the day I’ll see Moses return to us as did Hosea with Eber."

"Forget that, mother." Aaron grumbled.

Yocheved looked at her son. "Why must I?"

"So that you don’t waste your time with false hopes."

"A mother never loses hope." Yocheved responded. "I have faith that God has Moses safe and sound somewhere out there."

"Somewhere far from here most likely, Aaron said testily. "That is if he’s still alive."

"Of course he is!" Yocheved insisted. Only God knows the right times of such events and much more. You brother will someday return to us."

"Amen." Elisheba smiled.

Herut had been listening intently. She remembered the mentions of the youngest child in Yocheved’s family but not the entire story. She’d asked her parents, but they said it was a personal story for their neighbors. Herut had then asked, Yocheved hadn’t gone not too much detail only that she had to be separated from Moses when he was so young and was raised as an Egyptian before he discovered his origins.

"Then what happened? Is he a soldier or another kind of noble now?" Herut wondered.

Yocheved shook her head sadly. "No, my child. One day, Moses had seen an Egyptian slave master whipping a Hebrew and knowing what he understood, wouldn’t stand for it. There was a struggle then… he’d ended slaying the Egyptian and as a result was forced to flee."

Herut was dismayed. _Would_ they ever see him again?

That afternoon Aaron was snitched on Korach, letting Apuki the slave driver know that Aaron had left his shift. And as a result, Aaron was sent to the dreaded quarry. A terrible place, someone perishes there every day to the point that Miriam and Herut keep treating men that are injured there.

So Amram and Miriam suggested a sort of gathering amongst the Hebrews to remember the old stories of their nation and to cry out to their God for a better life.

Everything became intense as on the following day while the Royal family was parading through the streets returning from their visit to the finished Temple, Hosea had refused to bow down. Then the local mad woman (an Egyptian hag that claims to be the mother of the Queen) had also started making a scene until finally the Pharaoh ordered the guards to send them both away. Fortunately, Hosea was only taken a few streets away and tossed to the ground before the guards left.

The Hebrew meeting would still happen that evening, Herut and her family would be among those attending aside from many of their peers and neighbors.

"Welcome! The house is small but if we squeeze in, there’ll room for everyone." Amram greeted his guests.

And his waist was then held in the clasp of two olive skinned arms. " _Shalom_ , Mr. Amram."

" _Shalom_ , Herut." Amram smiled warmly before he, his wife and daughter greeted Eber and Menuha.

More Hebrews continued arriving, Eldad showed up having decided to learn more – much to Herut’s delight. To add more surprise, he’d brought along the widower Diyshan for the gathering. Hosea then entered, determined to attend despite the lashings he’d received.

"Hello, Miss Judith! Hi Miss Anna!" Herut then waved at the spiritless woman dressed as an Egyptian, who’d entered with her only daughter.

It had been years ago when Herut had first met the pitiful Hebrew woman who’d married one of the Egyptian slavedrivers, Apuki, of all of them. Judith was already frowned upon by her people for her matrimony, it got worse whenever her abusive husband would whip or harm the Hebrew workers. She’d been getting water from the well, trying her best to ignore the cold glares of passerby when she heard a child’s voice from the side. " _Shalom._ _Vos makht ir_?" (Hello, how do you do?)

As expected, she was surprised at such a friendly acknowledgement from a child – and a recently adopted foreigner at that. An innocent action of kindness, but quite appreciated, nonetheless. Like Miriam’s family, the girls’ new parents were gracious to her.

"Well… hello Herut." Judith turned and smiled indulgently at the sunny young maid. Anna did the same only she’d held Herut’s smaller, four fingered hands in her own in a friendly gesture.

Miriam then came over to greet them affably and even kissed Anna’s forehead in a motherly manner. Herut then noticed Hosea watching Anna with keen interest.

"We don’t want to impose, we just wanted to check up on Hosea." Judith was saying to Miriam.

"So why not ask him?" Herut grinned mischievously.

"Did I hear my name?" Hosea joked.

"Yes, Hosea." Miriam said. "Allow me to introduce you. This is Judith and her daughter Anna. You probably don’t remember them, but they’re friends of the families – that is to say both mine and Eber’s. Judith is also Hebrew, we haven't seen each other for a long time, but they have come to express their solidarity."

We were worried about what had happened during the courtship.

"I appreciate your concern." Hosea replied. "I’ll recover."

"It’s a pleasure." Anna blushed fervently.

"So did Hosea. The pleasure is all mine. Forgive me for not recognizing you sooner."

"I can’t imagine, you were still so young." said Judith.

"My mother was afraid to come, because she lived as an Egyptian." Anna explained. "She felt she was betraying her people."

"None of that. There’s plenty of Hebrews that go through the same thing. " Miriam insisted.

"The important thing is you’re here now with everybody else. " Herut added.

"Please make yourselves comfortable, the gathering will begin shortly."

"Gathering?"

"Yes, we’re going to tell stories about our God and his promises. Why don’t you join us?"

"We’d love to but we best not dally, I don’t wish to anger my husband."

However Yocheved soon noticed and welcomed Judith and Anna inside, knowing Judith is a victim of the circumstances. Herut’s blithe disposition soured a little when she saw that Korach and his cronies would be joining the meeting, although it was nice to see his young sons and Mr. Dathan’s wife, Sapphira.

From the looks of it, Aaron wouldn’t be joining them and neither would his two eldest sons. It figures, even when Eber brought up Herut coming to their lives as a blessing from the Lord, Aaron quicky refuted that by saying he and Menuha had only foredoomed some poor outlandish waif to a life of slavery. Could he be anymore stubborn? At least his wife and two younger sons were present.

Amram then began to speak. "First of all, I would like to thank all of you for coming. It is a great joy to me that so many are still interested in hearing about our people, and about our God. When I was a boy, my favorite pastime was to hear the stories my own father told me. He’d reunite the whole family and tell of our ancestors, that’s how I learned of Abraham about the promise that God had made to us: ‘From you, I will make a great nation.’" He then beamed to his audience. "A great nation! We’ve lived in Egypt as slaves for centuries, that many of us have never even heard these words! And maybe for being born into this situation, we’ve learned to duck down, to live without dignity and without remembering the origins of our people. But the truth is, this isn’t what God had planned for us! Because we are the Lord’s chosen people among all the nations of the Earth!"

He then told them of Father Abraham and his wife, Sarah, conceiving a child in her old age, his devotion to the Lord God, and of their son Isaac.

"Then Jacob was left alone and he wrestled with the angel until the angel blessed him. And the angel asked, ‘What is your name?’ And he said, ‘Jacob.’ Then he said, ‘Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.’ "

Soon, Miriam stood up to tell everyone the next important parts of their history. "Once we Hebrews were very much respected in Egypt because Joseph, Abraham's great-grandson, saved this culture from famine with the help of our God.

For a long time, he was the most respected man in this land, second only to the Pharaoh. But after several generations, however, things changed and they forgot about Joseph. The Hebrews were then seen as potential enemies and so our people were enslaved. And the more we grew, the more they made us suffer. Then, the Pharaoh Seti made a terrible decree: That every Hebrew baby boy was to die."

Several of the Hebrew women that were mothers paled. Eber shivered uneasily, causing Menuha and Herut to hold his hands. Diyshan, the old man who Eldad invited, whispered sadly "This was what my daughter-in-law, Ilya, feared the most."

"It was a moment of terror and deep sorrow, the mothers being forcibly separated from their infant sons with such violence…" Miriam narrated somberly. "At that time, my mother was pregnant-"

Yocheved looked back at her daughter grimly.

"And upon seeing the horror all around her, she began to feel pains and she sent me to fetch my father. That was…" Miriam then began to tear up, "When I saw one of the m-most terrible scenes, I could have ever imagined."

With a trembling voice she told them how she helplessly witnessed the horrific sight of the Egyptian guards tossing the innocent babies into the Nile river to either drown or be devoured by the crocodiles.

Herut, who’d been listening intently, gasped and clung to her mother as though she were still a child. Menuha held her just her tightly, her eyes shining with unshed tears. Amram and Yocheved exchanged glances, holding each other close, remembering all too well such events. Eldad, Korach and several of the men turned grim. Nearby, Bina gently caressed the heads of her seated sons, the youngest of them looked tearful while his brother hugged his own knees. Elisheba held the hand of her son, Eleazar. Judith and Anna had blanched, then Hosea held Anna’s hand in consolation.

No one else could imagine such a dreadful time: Very few Hebrew men had been present, the other were all being whipped into work on the monuments across the river, so only the women and other children were in Goshen at the time. Those that were either beaten half to death or restrained.

Both Miriam and Aaron were only children when they both saw the Pharaoh's guards raiding their neighborhood and violently snatching up infants. Neither Aaron, Korach, nor anyone the same age as them or Miriam saw what exactly happened, all they knew was that those babies — some of them no doubt part of their friends' families, or maybe even newborn relatives of theirs — never came back.

"We’ve forgotten our God," said Miriam. "And he cannot do a thing for us if we do not come to him and ask him for help." She breathed deeply and began to sing.

_Iehi Kevod Adonai Leolam_

_Gadalta Meod, Hod_

_Vehadar Lavashta, Ote or_

_Casalma Note Maim Keieria_

(The Glory Of The Lord Endure Forever.

He is Very Great,

He is Clothed With Splendor And Majesty,

Like a cloak spread the skies like a tent)

Sapphira remarks to Bina that their Father had always to sing that song to them. Her sister shrugged. Miriam was leading them into song, this included some of her family and neighbors including Herut and now Korach’s sons were softly singing the words.

_Ashira Ladonai Bachai,_

_Azamra Lelohai Beodi_

_Ma Rabu Maassecha Adonai_

_Culam Bachochma Veahava Asita_

(I will Sing So The LORD All My Life,

I will Sing Praise To My God As Long as I Live.

How Many Are Your Works, Lord!

In Wisdom And Love You Made Them All.)

The reunion soon ended and the visitors were leaving for their homes.

"It was a lovely night. " remarked one of the ladies.

"And there will be more like this until God hears the cry of his children." Yocheved responds.

Eldad concurred. "You’re right, by distanced themselves from the Lord our people have become lost and suffered the consequences."

"No more Egyptian amulets huh Eldad?" Miriam quipped.

"Thank you for coming and may the next gathering be numerous." Amram added.

Bina and Sapphira were talking to Elisheba and Judith. Except Bina made a disparaging comment towards Judith, subtly reminding them Judith was married to Apuki, the Egyptian responsible for sending Aaron and his two sons to the quarry. Elisheba countered that Judith doesn’t agree with her husbands’ decisions.

Herut glared at Bina. "Well, it was YOUR husband who squealed on Aaron first THEN Apuki sent him, Nadab and Abihu to the quarry!"

Elisheba was stunned, Sapphira actually looked at her sister in disbelief. "Is that true?"

"Why don’t you just learn to stay silent?!" Bina snapped at Herut.

Menuha reached out her hand pulled Herut by the shoulder reprovingly. "What have I told you about thinking before speaking?"

"But I’m telling the truth!"

Judith excused herself. She went to Anna so that they could return to their house. Before any fights could break out between Herut and Bina, the boys went up to their mother asking if it was time to go home yet. Although it was great reuniting amongst everyone like this and seeing Herut, they were already yawning.

"Yes, let me just fetch your father. " Bina mumbled back to them before going to find Korach.

Their boys were at the door talking to Amram.

"So did you like the stories?"

"Yes, sir!" Elkanah and Assir grinned brightly.

"They liked them, but they’re exhausted. Thank you for the invitation." Sapphira nods. "It was nice seeing you and your family too, Eber."

"Likewise." Herut’s adoptive father nodded.

"We’re glad you’ve come, _Shalom_." Miriam bid them goodnight.

"Shalom." The boys waved goodbye to Herut, who did the same with a smile.

When Judith and Anna were leaving, Korach just happened to walk up and point to Judith, as if remembering she was Apuki’s wife. But anyone with sharp eyes could see he did it deliberately especially when he ‘deducted’ that Anna was the daughter of the Egyptian overseer that punished Hosea, much to the latter’s shock.

Herut huffed indignantly. Korach did that on purpose! Now he’d just wrecked what could’ve been a nice romance between Hosea and Anna. What else could go wrong?

They were about to find out.

**_To be continued…_ **


	4. Deliver us!

Liron’s trip as part of the escort did not go as he expected.

Oh to be sure, the gelfling capital and it’s natural environment up in the mountains was quite a sight to see as were the other regions. And he got goosebumps entering the citadel with the other guards and catching a glimpse of the Royal family. However there was one thing that nagged his conscience.

During the Tithing Ceremony, a Gelfling farmer and his wife come, only their tithe was minimal due to a blight affecting their crops. The Scroll keeper then asked for the necklace of the Farmers Wife as a replacement tithe, which was dream etched by her mother with her last wisdom before her death. When the Farmer begs to wait until next harvest to pay , the Scroll keeper manipulated the other Gelfling in attendance into anger against the pair, shaming them, with the All-Maudra saying "they never take that which is not given" and the Farmer apologizes to his wife before stripping the necklace from her and giving it to the Skeksis.

But it was one of the last gifts a mother had given to her child. What does it cost the skeksis to show a little compassion to the needy?

For the time since he’d joined the guards, he began to silently question the skeksis.

At least they were finally returning to the castle, perhaps talking about his concerns with friendly faces would ease his troubles a little.

"That was barely worth the effort." The Scroll-keeper was shaking his head.

"Yes, I found the gelfling’s offerings sadly lacking."

"Several whine of a strange blight upon their land!"

"Gelfling are full of excuses."

Liron sighed.

"Bring the tithes to the Collector’s chambers, Captain Ordon said to the podlings. Quickly now.

The podlings babbled and set off to complete their task. Just then Tolyn and one of the female guards approached.

"Captain!"

"Is there a problem?" questioned Ordon.

"It’s your son, Rian."

Liron paused as he slowly polished his sword, eavesdropping on the conversation. But every sentence he heard was much more unbelievable than the last. He had to speak to someone.

"Mother, I’ve just returned. The other guards are saying Mira’s dead – that Rian killed her!" Liron then shook his head. "But that cannot be!"

"I do not know what to think, but the fact is no one has seen him or Mira since the evening they vanished." Sulin responded. "Now Gurjin is in chains for interrogation."

Liron was feeling conflicted. Who was telling the truth? Better yet where was Rian?

No one else seemed to know. All he knew was that as he took his shift for that afternoon, he watched as Ordon took one of the landstrider and rode off into the horizon. Most likely in search of his son.

And on that very same evening, Liron heard the bloodcurdling screams that echoed in the castle hallways, and it chilled him to the bone.

* * *

Because of his defiant action by refusing to bow down to the Pharaoh, Hosea was to be punished. Two soldiers had come to arrest him and tied him to a tree without food or water, weighed down by four sandbags until death. Anyone who tries to help him would suffer the same fate. Elisheba’s sons and Menuha had to hold Elisheba back before she took more risks, even as the poor woman was wailing in distress for her foster son. 

"Herut, please stay close to m- Where’s Herut?" Menuha cried. 

"Don't know," said Caleb. "She was here one minute, and the next minute she was gone." Amram had gone to try and plead for mercy from the Pharaoh while Herut had followed him. Of course, the guards wouldn’t let them through and the Pharaoh himself did not emerge from the palace. Instead, his sister, the Princess Henutmire walked out looking quite concerned. Although she tried not to stare at Herut’s odd appearance, she patiently listened to both their pleas to release Hosea. The princess agreed, feeling that she had a debt to Amram’s family. She’d taken a son from them, she didn’t wish to be responsible for the death of a grandchild. However her good intentions backfired when she attempted to reason with her brother.

Hosea was released but the Pharaoh had something else in mind to torment the Hebrews.

"Listen all, so that you know not to defy the Lord of the two crowns, the star of the morning and evening, living Horus on Earth…" the messenger announced as Hosea’s family and friends helped him out.

Everyone listened intently to see what had the Pharaoh responded. "…Instead of this Hebrew that’s being freed, ten other slaves from the Quarry will die in his place."

Hosea was utterly horrified with the order as were the others. Would one of their loved ones be among those that will be executed? Meanwhile, back in the construction, Korach had once again betrayed his own people by telling Apuki the slave driver about the Hebrew’s night gatherings.

Fortunately, Aaron and his two older sons returned alive and well, but greatly haunted by what had transpired. However, again he refused to attend the gathering even though more of their people would be joining this evening. Herut and her parents were among the first to arrive. This time the jeweler’s son, Betsalel was attending as was his friend, Chival, the son of the royal cook.

Soon enough once everyone was seated, Amram addressed his guests. "Once again, thank you all for coming. Today… was a very sad day for our people. Ten Hebrews died unjustly because of a man who despises us. We all have reason to mourn, but we cannot be discouraged by every cowardly act perpetrated against our people. On the contrary, it is then when we must turn more towards God. Cry out for the children of Israel and for our freedom!"

One of the middle-aged Hebrew men stood up and said grimly, "My son was one of the ten workers that was executed in the quarry. " Hosea stepped up somberly. "Sir, I beg your forgiveness, I’d rather have died instead of him or anyone else." The man add, "My wife and I were considering not attending. He looked to his spouse, a Hebrew woman whose eyes were red from tears. "I came because I needed to ask this question: Why did this happen? Why is it just after reuniting ourselves before God, we’re punished this way?"

Amram put a comforting hand on the man’s shoulder. "It happened due to one thing, because the Pharaoh wanted to demonstrate his strength by weakening us. To terrify us, to silence us. So as to turn Hebrew against Hebrew and to turn on my grandson as thought he were responsible for the death of all the ten who were killed. But it is that ruler’s responsibility, who wishes to be worshipped as a god! A man who enslaves us and sees us as less. Slaves die every day, and you know that full well. But because of Hosea, nor God! But because of that bloodthirsty king! And why did God allow this to happen, you ask? Because we’ve distanced ourselves from him! We must cry out the Lord, for the further we are from him, the more insecure we are. Unfortunately, our people have submitted too easily to slavery. But we are here to find the only God capable of saving us from this suffering!"

He let it sink in before speaking again. "For so many years we have been passive in our faith, but there is only one way to be free, crying out to the Lord! Keeping an unshakable faith! Not only when we’re together, reunited but all the time especially in times of hardship and danger! And that is how God will hear us!"

Just as Amram finished, the door had burst open. Everyone jumped in their seats – some shoved Chivale and Betsalel out of sight- because Egyptian guards stood at the doorway. Herut’s father quickly placed himself in front of her and her mother.

"You are all hereby accused of conspiring against the Pharaoh." The lead guard said coldly to them all. "And you’re going to pay dearly for it."

But who told them about the reunions? That was the question on everyone’s minds.

"Excuse me, sir," Amram said sternly. "There’s got to be a mistake, no one here is plotting anything against the Pharaoh! We only gather together in our faith…"

"I don’t care about your excuses. Or would you like to discuss it with my sword?" The soldier sneered pulling out his blade. Almost everyone else got to their feet or shaking their heads no.

"I thought so." The soldier said darkly. "From now on, by order of the lord of the two crowns, the wheat rations you receive shall be less." 

Everyone gasped and began protesting.

"That’s enough! Do you wish to discuss the orders of your ruler?!" One of the other guards rebuked.

Herut was about to say something, only for Menuha to clap a hand over her mouth. The nastier soldier added, "So that you all think twice about betraying the god King, living Horus upon the Earth! And be grateful, the price of treason is death!" he directed this towards Hosea in particular.

"Now disperse before it becomes worse." The calmer soldier ordered. "Everyone go home!"

"And remember the Pharaoh wishes no more of these reunions. Next time you might lose more than a portion of your rations."

All the other Hebrews were either herded out or left of their own accord. Soon after the guards left, as the disheartened crowd started to lessen, some of the children present discussed amongst themselves about what just happened.

"That was not fair! This was supposed to bring us closer together." Bak, a thirteen-year-old boy living Zelophehad’s home griped.

"I’d like to know who ratted us out to the Pharaoh." Another one grumbled.

Herut glanced around then scowled and curled her small hands into fists, "I bet it was Korach or one of his bully friends who squealed. That’s why he and his family aren’t here!" 

"Let’s not jump to any conclusions," One of the other women, Abigail tried to assure the children. "I’ll admit he’s unpleasant but surely he couldn’t have betrayed our people like this…"

"I’m afraid I agree with my daughter." Eber interjected dourly. "Aaron isn’t here either, but he’d never dare do such a thing no matter how bitter he is. Therefore Korach is number 1 suspect on my list."

At that moment, Amram ran out of his house appealing to the Hebrews. "Wait! We can't let ourselves be beaten. Before we addressed him!" he points upwards to the sky. "They forbade us to meet in our homes, but they said nothing about seeking our God with the stars as witnesses." He then turns and looks up, extending his arms out as if to receive a blessing. "Lord, look at us. here are your people. Those chosen by you amongst so many. But we’ve drifted away and got lost! That is why today we live in slavery, in poverty, with no dignity, going hungry and worried. Crying every new morning for the deaths of our comrades and brothers that fall by the dozen in the erected constructions meant to idolize the man who thinks himself greater than you."

Herut and her parents stood where they are, listening to Amram’s emotional plea.

"They want to silence our crying, Lord. But you, Lord, hear everything and see everything! They want us to bow down to a simple man, but it is only you, that we see and adore."

As he continued speaking passionately, more Hebrews have come out of their houses to listen as well. "They hold us in shackles, they humiliate us, but they will never enslave our essence because it belongs to you Lord! Forgive us, sir, all the times we doubt your power but today here, on our knees ... We recognize that we depend on you sir!"

By then several of the Hebrews have also knelt holding their arms and hands out to the heavens, weeping or looking just as somber.

"So have mercy on us, hear our song, hear our cry! We are sheep of your flock Lord, do not forsake us, Lord!" Amram tore at his clothes, a gesture that usually meant deep bereavement and/or suffering in Hebrew culture.

Miriam spoke next. "Show us the way, Lord, and we will follow it!"

Yocheved was the next. "Pity us, Lord, and free me from these bindings!"

Miriam added, "From these pagan gods, from this land that humiliates us, and take us back home, Adonai!"

Now many of the Hebrews were in tears and started falling to their knees, crying out for their God to deliver them. Some of the men have even begun to tear at their clothes too.

"Have mercy, Lord!" "Praise God..." one of the Hebrew men said.

"Pray for us and free us!"

"Deliver us, Lord!"

Even the older couple, whose grown son had been unfairly executed by the Egyptian soldiers due to Hosea’s defiance was pleading. "Forgive us Lord God! I doubted you because of my son’s death, only you can console us. Let your justice be done, Lord!"

Chival watched in utter bemusement as the Hebrews were bowing down, wailing and reaching for the skies. "What’s happening, my friend?" he asked Betsalel.

"They’re talking to our God." beamed Betsalel. "Our people are crying out for freedom."

"Hear us, Adonai!" Eber was also on his knees. "Free us from slavery, light our way and take us back home!"

Moved, Herut watched many of her friends and neighbors get down on their knees, praying to the God of their people. She glances around and slowly got down to her knees too.

She cast her large green eyes to the starry night sky. "I don’t know if you can hear me up there. Or if you’d even listen to one like me. Glorious God, giver of life, we beseech you in our time of pain. Free us, help us find the way back to the land once promised to the children of Israel. I ask this of you with open arms, O Creator of all."

No one knew of the extraordinary events that would take place very soon, for neither their cries nor that of a falsely incriminated young warrior would go unheard… 

**_To be continued…_ **


	5. The Response

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> La respuesta a una plegaria y mucho màs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: if you still don’t know what the gelfling or skeksis are at this point: educate yourself at once.
> 
> Research, watch the first three episodes of the Dark Crystal Age of resistance Netflix series to get an idea of who is who AND what's going on before the 1985 movie. Otherwise, you’ll be pretty confused reading further chapters.
> 
> Because usually when you do check out a crossover fanfiction you already know who is who (and what it’s about) from either one of the franchises, right? It’s called common courtesy.

The old stories tell that Thra was created by a song, but unbeknownst to them it was not just any song. It was the song of the Great Father that brought her and her heart into being, and giving life to that realm as he had done with countless others.

No one else but he and one other knew of this. For he’d felt Thra’s restlessness upon not having a tongue to speak nor eyes to see. And so new life emerged, this one from the stone and the roots. Aughra.

She was made both mother and child to Thra, leader and prophetess. Only she knew of how Thra had joined with the first world trines before the Second Conjunction. However as of late, she’d turned her eyes from Thra to the stars and has turned her senses from a world that needed her as much as he who created the universe.

The cry of the Hebrew people as well of one gelfling raised among them did not go unheard. Nor did the bereft plea of the young warrior persecuted in his attempt to reveal the truth. They were not the only ones crying out for deliverance.

Nearly three days, miles away, within the orrery atop the hill, the podling caretaker began his daily chores. He dusted the tables and other furniture while Aughra lay on a pedestal.

To the naked eye and uncovered ear, nothing much seemed off or out of place save for a soft ray of sunlight shining down on the recumbent form of Aughra. However on this very day, she felt a deep ache within and then, she heard a warmly familiar voice calling her name. Calling her back to Thra.

_"_ _Aughra. Aughra. Awaken!"_

So Aughra's left eye opened and she began coughing out dust before falling over to the right-hand side and onto the podling caretaker.

"Thra, what has happened to you?" she’d gasped out. Something was wrong. Her heart ached and Thra was calling out in pain.

There was still so much left to do for Aughra and for those chosen to deliver their own into freedom.

* * *

No one knew it then, but barely three days after the mass prayer in Goshen, the very same son Yocheved hoped to see again was tending to a flock of sheep. This was Moses. For after fleeing from Egypt into the desert, he had reached Midian. And there he’d married Tzipporah, the eldest daughter of Jethro, high priest of Midian and fathered two sons.

As the years went by, he became a shepherd, attempting to move forward in his simple life. However one day, while following a wandering lamb in Mount Sinai, he came upon a burning bush. The bush in question burning with fierce fire but it was not consumed by the flames, let alone when Moses moved his staff into it.

Then to his great astonishment, out of it came a great voice telling him he must return to Egypt at once and lead the Hebrews out of slavery.

"If I go to the Hebrew slaves," a terrified Moses had replied, "and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' they will ask, 'What is his name?' What shall I say?"

" _Ehye asher ehye_. ‘I am that I am.’"

Moses became filled with self-doubt most notably regarding the Hebrews’ conviction in the divine appointment, and God responded by giving him three signs to demonstrate.

"My Lord, I know not what to say nor how do so. Once I attempted to separate two Hebrews fighting amongst themselves and they did not listen."

_"Who_ _made man's mouth_ _?_ _Did_ _not I?!"_ The voice roared.

"But I was their enemy. I was the prince of Egypt, the son of the man who slaughtered... their children! Please Lord, send someone else but me! H-how can I even speak to these people?"

_"_ _Do you not have a brother named Aaron, the Levite? He knows how to use words."_

"But the moment I set foot in Egypt, I will be done for!"

_"_ _He who wished you gone has perished. Aaron will cross the desert to meet you. He will be glad to see you."_

And with a gentle silvery breeze, Moses was lifted up as he reassured and given further instructions on what he had to do before being set down softly.

That was just one of many wondrous things yet to come, so many things for him to discover and there was still so much for Moses to do on his quest.

* * *

Amram had said there was much to fear, yet there was just as many reasons not to be. He compared it to bricks, one who didn’t know much about them upon seeing them wouldn’t be able to imagine building something with them. He who doesn’t know what faith means, thinks it’s useless or damaging. But that one must feed their faith everyday with small actions much like using bricks. And that every one of them could be a brick in the building of something great, the gathering they had out of their homes by calling out under the stars was just one of many.

Herut did not know what would happen. Or whether the God of her parents and their people would listen to someone like her. She knew she wasn’t her parents’ child by blood, that much was blatantly obvious. Her adoptive father and Mr. Eldad said she’d walked into Goshen as a toddler and then towards them. And yet no one can pinpoint what race she was. None of the other girls or women she’d ever seen, be they Hebrew, Egyptian, Nubian or otherwise had wings, strange ears or four fingers like her.

In spite of this she wouldn’t be leaving anywhere without her loved ones. She only wished that somehow, someway, her loved ones and everyone else enslaved would be freed. What was she? Where did she come from?

She fell asleep that night with those two questions burning in her mind. And the dream began…

\---

_Everything around her looked like those funny pictures she’d once glimpsed on the walls of temples of the palace at a distance, even herself. Mr. Aaron said they were hieroglyphics, the written words of the Egyptians._

_Only she found herself looking at a group of what appeared to be giant brightly colored birds that looked like vultures or other types, but these had four arms and no wings whatsoever. Herut noticed that they were garbed in pretty clothes; their robes were lavishly colored and certainly much nicer than those of the Egyptians._

_The giant birds were gazing up at what looked like a giant purple jewel, shining it’s light on them. They all bore proud expressions that appeared wise and generous, giving the impression that they were good-natured._

_However, the giant birds slowly began to lose some of their colors and manes… this meant that they were growing old. And as Herut watched closely, the expressions of the giant vultures became more intimidating, and the giant purple jewel stopped glowing. Then her eyes fell on the most frightening vulture of all. It- or He (as she presumed), pointed a jeweled scepter as if towards her._

_Herut flinched but saw he was pointing at one of the other vultures, this one with yellow eyes that bowed and descended down (as did the enormous gem) into a secret room filled with cages and other unsettling things. She didn’t know what it mean before she glanced down on the floor to see what looked like gleaming purple cracks start to spread out and seep into the land._

_As the cracks reached the countryside, she watched as the surrounding plant life began to wither and decay. Any animal that consumed the affected plants suddenly went mad with glowing purple eyes. It started then to affect the crops belonging to people… people who looked almost like her!_

_Then something moved out of the corner of her eye. She saw one woman holding a little child in her arms, watching the crops near her hut turn dark and stale. She had olive skin just like Herut, and hair as dark as hers! The woman staggered a little, (possibly from great hunger) then begun to walk._

_Herut quickly followed her through the withered crops, through the forest towards the borders. There she saw a cart belonging to some Egyptian spice merchants, fixing a wheel. They took no notice of the woman, now starting to hunch over but approaching determinedly. Herut peered out from some bushes, feeling utter recall at the scene._

_She watched as the debilitating woman placed her little daughter on the cart. The little toddler held her mother’s hand before her curiosity was awakened by the jars and pottery. Then the cart began to move with the child still on it, the mother panted before falling to the ground and moved no more._

_Herut gasped, her eyes tearing up. She wiped them before hearing something large crashing through the foliage behind her. Her instincts told her to run, so she did and made the mistake of looking back – not noticing that she’d run into a darker area where the yellow eyes vulture had been tinkering away._

_She tried to remove the vest to free her wings, but she slipped and fell. When Herut looked up, she saw the enormous jewel in front of her, glowing and crackling with ominous light._

_And it felt as though she were falling with the wails belonging to hundreds of prisoners chained down and forced to look directly at the blinding purple light that began to fill her entire vision. Then everything went black…_

\---

"Herut, get up!" Her adoptive mother called. "It’s already morning."

Herut gasped awake and sat up, looking around. She was in the house she shared with her adoptive family, in the village of Goshen. Time to start another toilsome day.

The dream, was it a sort of memory or did the Hebrew God send it to her? But if he did, she didn’t understand, what did it all mean?

She needed to talk to someone about it, preferably after she, her parents and everyone else got back from the day’s work.

* * *

It was two days since Ordon had left in search of his son. Yet no word from him or anyone else regarding Rian’s whereabouts. The morning after SkekEkt the Ornamentalist returned to the Castle, Liron’s shift started.

He’d been at his post when he heard the Chamberlain muttering to himself. "Ungrateful Emperor… Petty preening skeksis. Not appreciate Chamberlain."

What was he talking about? Liron wondered.

The Chamberlain dismissed the guard followed by a sly whimper. "I will take seat back at Emperor’s side and teach thick-headed General a lesson."

And the next thing Liron heard was a foreboding sound that echoed around the castle hallways. It must’ve come from the three sectioned horns he’d seen once, probably calling for someone or something. But what was it?

Hours later, it was his turn to patrol the lower castle levels. Liron marched down first, then heard a deep growl.

Perplexed, he turned just in time to see a formidable figure stride through the hallway from the Crystal chamber. It was his height, with a long-cloaked back, spiked in feathers and spines, and on its face was the fanged skull of a predator.

Despite of himself, Liron gasped in great alarm. Was that one of the skeksis Lords that lived away from the castle?

It stopped for moment, raising its snout to sniff the air. Then to his utter shock, it turned to his direction with an animalistic snarl.

Liron froze, every one of his senses telling him to run that he should fear this one. Yet couldn’t entirely explain why.

Fortunately, a higher force intended to keep him safe. For the bestial skeksis let out a roaring grunt before bounding away.

Liron stayed put, trying to calm himself. He could swear he’d seen him before but where?

* * *

Aaron was not in a good mood. Apuki had already given Amram a baleful warning, having found out that Hosea was seen with the slave master’s daughter. Now he’d stormed out of his house, utterly frustrated with all that’s happening and not even remotely listening to Eber and Menuha’s concerns about Herut’s strange dream.

"Is this how you answer the prayers of your people, with more suffering?!" Aaron shouted to the Heavens. "I’m not speaking for myself! Because I no longer believe, but this entire nation does! They’re full of hope, and all I see is misery, hunger and humiliation! Now Apuki has come to threaten my son with death! Wasn’t it enough for you to have taken away Num?! What of Diyshan’s missing son and daughter in law – what have you done to them?! And what about Herut, who you brought to Eber’s house – why did you condemn an innocent misshapen orphan to life of despair and drudgery?!"

Aaron opened his arms out to the stars. "Give me sign! A sign that such desolation will one day end!" He looked at the sky expectantly then scowled and stood up. "That’s what I thought."

However as he began to walk away…

_"Aaron."_ A voice called. Soft at first like a whisper.

Aaron stopped right in her tracks and looked over his shoulder. But he didn’t see anyone. He huffed and began to make his way back home.

_"Aaron."_

"What kind of joke is this? Who’s there?!" Aaron yelled. "Show yourself once and for all!"

To his astonishment, the mysterious voice responded. _"Aaron, you asked for a sign."_

Aaron froze in place and looked up at the sky. He saw many stars but only one of them shone brightly as the voice spoke to him, that could only mean…

_"_ _Go and meet your brother Moses in the desert. He will need your aid. Help has come to your people."_

Aaron fell to his knees in tears, nearly in disbelief.

_"_ _Your brother Moses will come to Egypt to free the people from slavery, find him in the desert on the road to Midian. Don’t be afraid, I shall guide you both and tell you what needs to be done. Now listen closely, this concerns the remaining family of Diyshan and the child I brought here, Herut…"_

When Aaron heard about Liron, and how Herut was sent here, his jaw dropped. It was beyond extraordinary!

"But Lord," he gasped out. "How will I find my brother, or the boy you mentioned? Or even the place and these other denizens you speak of?"

This time there was no answer. Aaron sobbed, he could hardly believe what just happened. He then calmed, stood up and slowly returned home, hearing his family and his parents’ neighbors discussing Herut’s dream and what Apuki might do to Hosea.

When he pushed open the door, they all turn to see him walk inside as if in a daze.

Amram was the first one to speak. "Aaron, what is it?"

"Did something happen?" Elisheba questioned.

Aaron responds. "I don’t even know if it even happened. I feel as if I’m going crazy."

"Why? What did you see?" Herut asked.

Elisheba went to her husband. "Aaron, you’re starting to worry me."

"Why do you say that son?" Amram asked him.

Eleazar stood up. "Father, what are you talking about?"

Aaron took a deep breath and answered. "What would you think if you heard a voice… but saw no one?"

His sons were bewildered, while Eber and Menuha exchanged confused glances.

"Yes, I’m not delirious…" Aaron continued, then looked at his wife straight in the eye. "God… has just spoken to me."

Elisheba gasped. Many of the others did, Amram began to laugh in relief. Out of all of them, the God of their people has spoken to one of the most jaded of the family.

"He did?" Herut’s seafoam green eyes widened.

"It’s not delirium, Aaron!" Elisheba said, her eyes full of happy tears.

"God… He has heard our outcry!" Amram smiled.

Eber and Menuha let out simultaneous sobs of relief and happiness, they hugged each other and their daughter. Herut was absolutely wonderstruck. First that baffling dream where she probably saw her birth mother that came shortly after the entire Hebrew village cried out to God and now this event, it was nothing short of miraculous in her eyes.

"What was it like? What did he say?" Herut questioned rapidly.

"I-I asked him to give me a sign. To prove that things would change someday, and he told me to go to the desert to find Moses in the desert –" he paused to take a deep breath, looking at Herut.

Could he truly share what he’d learned about her and what had become of Old man Diyshan’s family?

"So then this means Moses is still alive!" Amram crowed.

Aaron nodded. The best thing he could so was to first meet up with his brother then focus on what follows next on his quest. "He told me that Moses will come and free our people from slavery!"

There was much joy in the house that evening. Elisheba touched her husband’s face. "Aaron, you were chosen among so many, my love!"

"Could it be that I’m capable of fulfilling this mission?" Aaron wondered.

"If God has chosen you, it must be the case." Amram reassured his son. "I must tell Yocheved, she dream of this day so much!"

They all agreed to tell Yocheved and Miriam but not anyone else so that it wouldn’t reach the ears of the Pharaoh. But they had more than one reason to celebrate, their people were going to be free!

But how would Aaron be able to leave Egypt and start his task?

The following night after Aaron was given his mission, his family and Eber’s put the plan into motion so that Aaron could meet up with Moses in the desert. Amram, Hosea and Caleb accompanied Aaron on the way to the city gate only to run into one of Korach’s cronies: Aviram.

Naturally, they gave an excuse but he became suspicious and so he followed them before turning back to report what he’d seen to Korach.

Caleb and Hosea provided a distraction for Aaron to pass the gate but there was no need, the main guard there was of mixed race – his father is Hebrew and his mother is an Egyptian. He’d recognized Amram because he and his parents had participated in the outcry for freedom, so he let them pass.

Both Aaron and his brother were on their way, never knowing that extraordinary events that had taken place miles away, or that one of their own would bear witness to more.

**_To be continued…_ **


	6. The Resistance on the other side of the desert

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happens to Liron and what paves the way for the Resistance to finally meet the Deliverer...

Approximately four days have gone by since Rian escaped the castle of the Crystal, now Gurjin was missing. Liron was already beside himself with worry. His adoptive mother, Sulin was also on edge, she didn’t like the visit of that feral skeksis the previous day, claiming it brought up dreadful memories.

Then there was the sudden appearance of the Vapran paladin bringing big news to them but not to the skeksis.

Not long after, the carriage carrying the General and the Ritual Master had returned to the castle from Ha’rar.

"They've returned _without_ the promised volunteers," SkekOk said in a snide tone.

SkekEkt tittered cattily, "The Emperor won't like that."

When the two gossiping skeksis left, Liron and the two guards with him glance around furtively.

"Let's go, the others will have gathered by now."

Moments later, they were with several other guards listening to the paladin.

"Before they set off for the Crystal desert, the princess Brea warned us that we were being taken to the castle to be drained." He explained.

"I don't believe it!" Tolyn retorted.

"None of us did! Praise Thra that we were rescued by two of your fellow guards: Rian and Gurjin. When we dream fasted we saw the truth for ourselves and vowed to share their story."

"Perhaps he speaks the truth!" said Liron, hearing that Gurjin and Rian were alive lifted his spirits considerably.

"But Rian has the mind sickness!" A middle-aged guard said fearfully, "The skeksis look after us!"

"I cannot dream fast their memories but I know what I saw, I risked my life to bring you their truth! The Lords executed the All-Maudra, the General swung the blade that took her life! And your sister in arms, Mira…she _was_ murdered. But not by Rian! The skeksis twisted the Crystal to drain her essence!"

The other guards was astounded. Liron felt his insides turn to ice – as relieved as he was that his friends were innocent, it also meant that everything else rumored about the skeksis was true. And as such, all gelfling were in mortal danger.

"Those vicious mackrats!"

"Duplicitous worms! We must rise for our fallen guard!"

"Yes, spread the word and gather arms… we take this castle this very night!"

The guards agreed, among them were Liron and Sulin. Only one didn't join in the righteously angered cries: Tolyn. And what he was about to do was going to cost them quite dearly.

* * *

It had been the perfect plan: Ambush the skeksis after their nightly feast. Many of the guards demanded they be eliminated for what they’ve done but others did not. Finally the gathered guards agree that they would instead lock up the skeksis in the dungeon so that they will judged and tried for their crimes.

The guards took up arms against the skeksis, they were well trained and an ingenious plan. But the skeksis were waiting for them! Each one armed with large, curved swords and ready to fight.

What’s worse, the group of soldiers sent to keep an eye out were among the very first to be drained!

SkekVar, the General, charged at them first, causing the remaining survivors to scatter. Within mere minutes the skeksis were all around them, slicing with their swords, talons out and cackling with malice.

One of the female guards was locked in sword fight with the Ornamentalist up on the stairs that lead to the podling musician booth. One of the Stonewood guards got his eye clawed out – the shocking view nearly got Liron sliced in the abdomen, he lost a few hair bangs in the process.

Liron was scared to death but fights on, blocking every sword thrust. Metal clanged and sparks shot out from the blades.

The Paladin who’d warned them about the skeksis true intentions charged the General only to be knocked out. The shrill sound of battered metal, feral roars and maniacal laughter filled the hallways, thundering throughout the castle.

A frightening reminder that even as slothful and decadent as they've become, the Skeksis remain amongst the most dangerous beings on Thra and slaughtered countless races when they were in their prime.

By then most of the guard were either killed or captured. Liron had somehow lost his sword and had resorted to using one of the fallen spears. He had to find his adoptive mother and get themselves out of here alive. The lower gate was their way out, and it seemed a million miles away. One guard that nearly escaped, glanced furtively around one corner only for a clawed hand to pull him back.

"Treacherous gelfling, you’ll be drained for this!" chortled the Gourmand as he began dragging the poor gelfling by the collar.

"Let me go!"

"Oh, I do hope you taste better than you _fight_!"

"Please, my Lord! Please, please!" pleaded the guard as he was dragged away to his doom.

While Liron found himself locked in combat with the General, who chops at him.

"Pathetic towering wastrel!" The skeksis snarled at him. "I should’ve known you would be trouble the moment you set foot into the castle!"

"Or maybe you and the others should have thought of that before you started draining gelfling!" Liron shouted back.

He chases the young man down a hallway. Liron leaps back several inches, dodging, circling, blocking the blows.

A few yards away, Sulin parries the rain of blows and thrusts from imperious Ritual Master, fighting for her life. She’d removed her cape to free her wings and use the flight to her advantage… only for her opponent’s swipe to break loose part of the wall torch and cause it to fall on her.

Sulin fell to the floor belly first with a startled shriek. Her blade was inches away and saw SkekZok getting closer. She tried to pull herself out but the pieces weighed down on her back.

"Mother!" Liron cried.

If he didn’t do something, she’d soon be sharing the same fate as Mira!

Then his elbow hit something… ashes? Probably from the torches. He stuck his hand into it, gathering it into his fist.

"Here’s ash in your eyes!" Liron yelled, throwing a handful of ashes into SkekVar’s face.

The All-Maudra’s murderer roared in pain and fury, clawing at his face. As SkekZok moved closer to Sulin, Liron took this chance to spring forward and tackle the Ritual Master to the floor.

"Don’t toy with me, urchin!" With a swat, SkekZok flung Liron off him. Fearlessly, Liron picked up the wooden pole of a spear. One with a with the blade that had been chopped off. Fearing for his mother’s life, Liron hit the Ritual-Master in the stomach with the blunt end, making the skeksis double over in pain.

The young man wasted no time, pushing the heavy debris off his mother, scooped her up and sprinted down the hallways. Several times Liron had to duck out of sight and hurry away. Finally, they were outside and they reached the forest stopping once they were certain the plant life would hide them.

Breathing heavily, he set Sulin down gently before letting himself drop backwards against a tree. Even so, he looked around left and right. All he heard were the shrieks and howls of the wildlife that resided in the woods.

His adoptive mother sat up. "Rest my son, we’ve escaped."

"But not the others." Liron removed his helmet, burying his face in his shaking hands.

Just this morning he’d seen all of them on patrol, now they were gone.

"What are we going to do?"

"We'll think of something."

* * *

Nearly two days later, Liron and Sulin journeyed through the forest. However they ventured into an area that was all too familiar to Sulin: the very same cave where the Stonewood scouts and herself had found Liron as a baby.

Liron could only walk inside, looking forlornly at all the old things left behind. There was a broken loom with unfinished fabric and a hollowed-out tree trunk that once served as his cradle. She explained everything to him as well as she could.

That same afternoon they started a campfire and pondered the questions they still had.

"But if you found me… where did my parents come from, if not from Thra?" Liron wondered.

Pensively, Sulin touched the unfinished cloth on the loom. "You were swaddled in a blanket with the exact same patterns much like this, when we brought you to Stone-in-the-wood. It’s a strange cloth, none of the patterns matched any of the gelfling clans."

"If only we could get some answers…"

Then to their utter shock, the fire turned an electric blue. But that wasn’t the only strange thing to happen.

Even from their spot in the forest they could blue lights illuminating parts of the sky from all over Thra. What did it all mean? And to add more amazement, from the blue fire they could hear voices. Familiar voices.

"Is it the skeksis' doing?"

"How is this possible?"

"Is someone there?" That was Rian’s voice!

Another familiar voice joined in. "Old Gurjin is here too, in case you were wondering."

"Rian? Gurjin?" Liron excitedly sat up straight.

"That’s Liron!"

"We’re in the old cave, mother’s here with me too!" Liron explained, his body flooded with relief.

"Every fire across Thra carries your message, Rian," An elderly gelfling lady’s voice intoned. She must be Grottan. "Every gelfling is listening, so speak true!"

"Gelfling..." Rian’s voice began to speak and his voice was carried miles all over the land. "The skeksis have deceived us… turned gelfling clan against clan... murdered our All-Maudra...drained our loved ones... unleashed the darkening upon our world, now everyone and everything is at risk. What was once unthinkable, has now become inevitable: Rebellion."

Within the blue fire, Rian held a double-edged blade, "This weapon, was forged by two halves of a great being. And it has been foretold to end skeksis power. Now it is in our possession. The skeksis have sown distrust amongst us for a thousand trine, why? Because they feared what would happened if we became united. Join me, here at Stone-in-the-wood, we will make our stand." Rian declared. "Not as many... But as one!"

His powerful speech had reached all seven clan of Gelfling in Thra, resulting in a great cheer.

But another voice interrupted with a snarl. "That's enough!"

The fire flickered out before roaring back to life to reveal an imposing, familiar figure: that of the Skeksis Emperor SkekSo.

**"Silence!"**

Through the blue fire the Emperor’s voice sounded monstrous, compared to the deep, commanding one Liron was accustomed to.

**"Your pathetic rebellion can only end in ruin!"**

"Then why do you tremble?" Rian’s voice challenged.

**"Disrespectful peons! Your lives are but a speck, waiting to be swept away."** SkekSo growled. **"Be assured that any gelfling that dares stand with you in battle will join you in the grave!"**

Rian’s voice retorts, "Bring your weapons, bring your skeksis... and meet your destiny!"

And the fire went out, leaving both Liron and his mother full of grim determination.

* * *

Not long afterwards, the remnants of the Stonewood Clan and the rest of the Skeksis' former prisoners arrive to Stone-in-the-wood, they are soon joined by Liron and Sulin. Each side greatly relieved to see two more survivors from the failed castle siege besides the lone guard: Nenad.

So they prepare themselves for battle even as the Skeksis gird themselves for war and sally forth to Stone-in-the-Wood.

Once they arrive the battle begins. The Skeksis activate their enhanced armor and prepare to attack, but the Gelfling women take to the air and drop Deet's ‘smoke bombs’ around the Skeksis, none actually hitting directly, which blasted dirt through the air in violent concussions wherever they landed, fouling up some Skeksis eyes. The Gelfling men with Liron then charge in amidst the Skeksis' confusion, Rian dueling SkekZok as SkekEkt panicked.

Suddenly brave, SkekOk strides forward snapping "I will not be bullied!" and launched several blades from his enhanced armor at an airborne Seladon. At the last moment, Maudra Fara pushes Seladon out of the way, and it slices through her own wings, leaving Fara to crash roughly into the ground.

SkekOk celebrates with the other Skeksis that he "got one", and finds where Fara crash landed. He prepares to kill her, but Fara's Fizzgig, Baffi, bite the end of SkekOk's nose, distracting him long enough for Seladon to drag Fara to safety.

When SkekOk finally does extricate himself from Baffi's jaws, he angrily screams "No, that's mine! Bring it back so I can kill it!", only for Baffi to bite him yet again. Although safe from SkekOk, Fara's wounds are too serious, and she succumbs to them and dies. Leaving Sealdon and Baffi to mourn.

Angry over Maudra Fara’s demise, Liron intended to charge the Scroll-keeper, only for be shoved back by another opponent that ran straight into the battle field.

To his shock, he saw the same ferocious skeksis he’d seen in the castle night ago, sprinting through and dexterously snatching up Rian into his claws.

"SkekMal lives!" SkekLach crowed.

"Is this your trophy, gelfling?" SkekMal then held up the dual glaive from Rian's hands. "This _toy_?" He takes the Dual Glaive and effortlessly crushed it in two!

"Rian!" Deet cried.

"Let him go!" Brea yelled.

"Quiet, puny gelfling!" SkekMal growled, "I have conquered death; I return more powerful than ever!"

Liron swallowed his fear and threw himself on SkekMal. "Get off him!"

The skeksis snatched ahold of Liron’s arm and twisted it, his lip curling. "I’m not finished with you, boy. You’re not the first of your kin I’ve slayed!

Liron yelled out in pain but the words chilled him to the bone. It was only then he saw the grisly trophies on the Hunter’s belt.

"I return more powerful than Thra itself, nothing can stop the Hunt!" SkekMal gloated, holding Rian before him and preparing to claim his tongue as a trophy.

All the gelfling watched in frozen shock, while the other skeksis jeered. But then suddenly, the Hunter’s green eyes widened from some unseen horror.

Then he began to shake violently, dropping Rian to the ground and releasing a bewildered Liron. Bits and bursts of dust seemed to come out of SkekMal. But what was happening to him?

"Archer!" SkekMal groaned, throwing his head up to the sky. "What have you...done?!"

Dust flowed from him faster and faster as he crumbled, then... in a burst of bright light, out from the red garbs emerged a familiar face in new garments, breathing deeply was Aughra. "I am reborn!"

The other Skeksis complain in despair. Even so, skekSo whips the Skeksis into another frenzy, intending to continue the assault once more, only for several arrows shot by the arriving seafaring Sifa Clan to land in front of them and bring them to a halt. In the next moments, the swamp dwelling Drenchen Clan, the pastoral Spriton Clan, the elusive Grottan Clan, the enigmatic Dousan Clan, and the silvery Vapra Clan all arrive to bolster the beleaguered Stonewood, even the Arathim arrive to face the Skeksis.

Demoralized and surrounded, SkekSil the Chamberlain urges the Emperor to retreat, But SkekSo had other plans. "I will not lose, no matter the cost!" He angrily stomped on an arrow, breaking it away. Then one of his smaller withered hands which held his royal scepter placed it into his left hand. "Behold, the power of the Darkening!" he roared.

What they saw was not something they were prepared for. A strange kind of purple energy erupted from the Emperor's scepter. It attacked several in its way.

Even as it begins to kill Gelfling indiscriminately, Deet jumps before it and draws all of the Darkening into herself, before launching it back at the Skeksis in an equally destructive wave, landing squarely on SkekLach. For a moment, SkekLach seems totally unharmed, but then his pustules burst and he explodes in a shower of gore. Terrified, SkekZok, sounded a retreat and the other skeksis were in complete agreement, they all started to move away.

The Emperor was just staring looking stunned then the Chamberlain went to him. "Emperor, we must go, yes?"

SkekSo turned as if he'd only just noticed him. "Yes...my most trusted advisor. To the castle!" And the skeksis fled from the battlefield.

"They're running away!" Brea acclaimed excitedly.

There was much celebration from the gelfling and their human friends. All over there was hugging and praising. Gurjin reveled in hugs (especially from the women both gelfling and human alike) during the victory celebration. He'd already been hugged by Maudra Seethi, Seladon and Sulin.

"Guess everyone wants to hug a hero." he quipped.

Abruptly he's approached by one of the Arathim. After a beat, he shrugs. "Why not?"

Then amidst the celebrations, something that had fallen out of the broken hilt of the dual glaive caught Brea's eye. She kneeled closer and saw it was a crystal shard as she picked it up, she felt the eyes of everyone around her.

"Ah, the lost shard of the crystal of truth." Aughra said proudly. "Found at last."

Brea held the shard in her hands, "This is what the heretic wanted us to find, not the weapon." She glanced up, "The shard is the key to ending skeksis power and uniting the gelfling."

Aughra acknowledged. "Gelfling, human friends, the shard calls to you. You fought well, this day is ours and tomorrow the sun rises on a new world. Nothing will ever be the same, we have made new enemies and lost friends. But the fallen are not truly gone. They enjoy the song of Thra once more. Listen and you will hear them upon the wind. For the song has changed, it sounds like Hope. But take care, hope is fragile. Hope is delicate. And the crystal shard once lost, now found and easily stolen. This day a victory does not belong to a single gelfling nor human, nor a single clan or kingdom alike. It belongs to all of us! All united, the many become one!"

Brea held up the shard to the sky causing everyone to cheer.

"It’s interesting find but how does it fit into all this?" Liron asked, feeling a little lost.

Aughra turned to address Liron. "Ah! Steadfast Liron, the lost child to one Yisraʾel’s tribes."

"Lost child? Tribe?" Liron was shocked then remembered SkekMal’s words. "Mother Aughra, you’ve got to tell me everything you know!"

"Still so much to learn and not enough time, boy." Aughra lectured. "You are not the only foundling lost to the home of their parents."

"What do you mean?" Sulin questioned.

"Liron first of his kinsfolk to be born here upon Thra. And yet one child born here resides in another land far across desert sands… Much more to tell, so much to discover. Surely, the Great Father will reveal what must be done."

* * *

Meanwhile, the skeksis have returned to the castle out of breath and greatly frightened by all that transpired. They’ve already lost three f their own and would surely fall to the gelfling population.

At that moment, the Scientist hurried into the Crystal Chamber excitedly. "My Lords! My Lords, all is not lost."

The others looked to SkekTek, wondering what he meant.

"I have found a solution to ALL our problems," SkekTek explained. "An ingenious combination of Gruenak and Arathim. I call it… _GARTHIM_!"

For SkekTek had managed to successfully use the Dark Crystal to fuse Gruenak sinews with Arathim tissue to create a mindless and soulless soldier automaton; the Garthim.

* * *

Months later, the lethal Garthim hordes had started either eliminating or gathering up gelfling as prisoners. Many of them were refugees in hiding. The resistance had recovered Deet, Hup and had just gotten both the Heretic and the Wanderer on their side.

Liron and those of Stonewood that are unable to fight: young, elderly folk and other caregivers were high up in the hills and trees.

However on this very day, as Aughra informed them, they would receive the first extraordinary visitors in trines.

In fact they both looked a lot like the gelfling. But they nearly looked like Liron save for a few key differences: the male had earthy hair growing on his face like a fizzgig. He was garbed in a long dark red robes and carried a wooden staff.

While the female had darker skin and had her hair done in intricate locks much like some of the Dousan maidens.

Liron delighted at the idea of meeting and seeing others like him. But were they foe or friend?

He would find out much sooner than they thought.

**_To be continued…_ **


	7. Strangers in Thra

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The lost boy and the gelfling resistance meets the Deliverer

The two strangers had arrived that morning by the edge of the dark wood. They were glancing around the green forestal area in utter fascination.

A few of the scouts followed the newcomers from up in the trees for hours, observing warily. Aughra had spoken true. The strangers looked like tall gelflings and yet they were so different. Their faces were somewhat flatter and their ears were small and round. The male had hair on his face like a fizzgig and the dark-skinned female with him had no wings. From the way they spoke and interacted with each other, it could mean that they were a mating pair.

Now Liron got a closer the face of the male from the bushes, and he was intrigued.

His skin was leathery from desert heat and cold. His neck was thick and corded, from laboring with the herds. The hair on his face was dark, long and coarse, and his hair hung loose to his shoulders. His long, heavy reddish robe was worn. The sleeves were pushed high, revealing arms that were extraordinarily muscular and firm. He looked ordinary enough — yet a feeling clutched at Liron’s heart, a sudden and intense feeling of kinship. Something blazed from those dark eyes, a fire within, a depth of knowledge, a well of sorrow and of fatherly love. He couldn’t explain it entirely.

Just then the woman was about five steps away from a patch of gobbles! Without thinking Liron threw a spear which landed between her and the patch. The woman cried out, alerting her mate and then gasped in shock as the gobbles has begun collectively gnashing their teeth.

It was as good a time as any, the scouts hopped down from their hiding places to reveal themselves. The couple stared at the gelfling scouts of varying clans, having never seen anything like them. Liron then silently stepped out of the tall grass to get close.

He didn't speak. He didn't want to want to give the couple any more reasons to be afraid. Instead, he walked slowly forward, watching the two. The man was a head taller than Liron. His dark eyes went wide in astonishment when the younger man approached. The dark-skinned woman watched intently with eyes the color of gold.

Slowly, as though he feared he would scare them away, Liron reached out and touched the man’s wooden staff.

"It’s you!" The man gasped. "The lost child!"

"That’s what Aughra referred to Liron. But how does he know?" questioned one of the gelfling.

"They look so much like Liron and yet so different."

Liron then interjects, "Please, both of you come away from that gobbles patch. Its’s dangerous!" He reached out.

"Liron, not so close!" Sulin cried, she’d clutched his left hand.

Now Sulin was still holding on to Liron’s left hand, however, the very moment Liron took the older man’s hand in his, nothing short of a wondrous gift awakened after so many years. Better yet, a sort of miracle.

Something like a white spark flared once their palms made contact, and simultaneously their minds were welded into a single consciousness. A torrent of images gave each of them a clear insight into the other's innermost thoughts and memories. Images that were exchanged and shared. Liron's farthest and deepest recollections of himself: as a baby in swaddling blankets, being held up to the sky by another man in rough robes. "Here is my son. I present him to you, only you can keep my child from harm."

Next was the memory of another baby but with different parents, they wore strange clothes as well but were accompanied by a little boy and girl.

_"_ _Numi, numi ahuvi…_ _"_ someone was singing a lullaby.

Then it turned into the memory of a frightened woman was holding the infant Liron. Carefully, he was wedged into a hidden corner of a cave, he saw his mother rush the entrance, there was a growl. Then clawed hands seized his mother out, with her shrill screams echoing in the forest.

Again the scene shifted to soft shadows filled with the screams of babies mingled with those of anguished women.

"Have mercy! He's only a baby!"

"Not my son! No! No. . .!"

A cacophony of terror from all around, but what did it mean?

Not only were these images transmitted: both the gelfling and humans had the knowledge that each was receiving the other's image exactly as though the exchange were taking place at the level of speech, where one would describe and see the other listen, respond, and acknowledge. Not a word was spoken between them. Only their clasped hands communicated.

Liron, as a baby, was then gently gathered from the cave by a Stonewood gelfling. Before he was handed to Sulin, who held him close.

Another memory, the other baby is taken from a basket and then being held up by a lovely woman with shiny head ornaments.

Liron, growing up, splashed in the waterfalls, climbing Bolentor and the trees.

The scene shifted once again. This saw as if with their own eyes both Liron and Sulin saw the other man’s memory: the splendor of the cities, the roads and the temples, the fabulous palaces, the huge stone sculptures of animals asserting the power of men. A whip that cracked incessantly, raining blows on the thousands of slaves. For it was with their blood, their screams, and their deaths that these buildings were raised up.

As the memories progressed, Liron felt a surge of wild excitement. He was dreamfasting!

But soon the darker memories surged forth: Liron’s doubts about the skeksis and the older man’s burning questions about his past. That’s when he saw it.

There was a wall depicting a river, filled with large reptiles opening their sharp toothed jaws for . . . oh, horror! Babies, falling headfirst into the water. Not falling. Being thrown ... by soldiers. Throwing babies headfirst into the crocodiles' savage jaws or to a watery grave!

"The Hebrews grew too numerous. They might have risen against us and overwhelmed us through sheer force of numbers. For the greater good, some-times sacrifices must be made." A strange man with a fancy headdress and robes said grimly. "Oh, my son," the peculiar man said. "They were only slaves."

The younger man stared at him with the blank eyes of total shock. The older man standing before him was some cold, deceiving monster. He turned and ran blindly away.

As Liron and Sulin continued dreamfasting with the man, leaving his wife to watch in confusion, Rian approached. Then tentatively placed his hand over Sulin and Liron’s, he wished to see what they were seeing.

Liron catching a glimpse of the infamous Hunter, growling briefly at him before bounding away. The failed castle siege from which Liron now knew he, his adoptive mother and Nenad were the only survivors.

Then the older man with the rod following some four-legged animal into a rocky section. When he turned the corner, he stopped suddenly, and his mouth fell open. There was a dry bush that was on fire. But this one not consumed by the flames. For it was no ordinary fire, it looked nothing like the blue fires ignited by the seven clans. No, these flames dazzled and shone like the Crystal of Truth with torchlight behind it and all around it. To add further wonder, a voice called the man’s name.

Was it a true voice, or was it inside his head? It had a timbre, a resonance that was not of this world. The man stooped and unlatched his sandals and stepped out of them onto the rock. "Who are you?" he found courage to ask. "I am—that I am. I am the God of thine ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."

And the unseen deity commanded the man to venture forth to Egypt to free his people from slavery. But that wasn’t all…

"… A lost child from another land that cries out for deliverance, she lives among my people. In turn, deep within her motherland there is a lost child of Israel. You shall meet him, and share his story and yours with him, with your hands." 

The man – whose name he now knew as Moses- had glanced down at his hands, "Share our stories with our hands, but how?"

"A gift given only to the first ones I have brought life to the soil of Thra. It is one he will share with others when he leaves upon returning to Egypt. Find the two lost ones, they will lead the inhabitants to join my people for the journey ahead. For I intend deliver the children of Thra from the greed of those that wish to strip away their vital essence."

"Very well."

"Seek out them out, then return to Egypt with Aaron. I shall be with you all when you go to the king of Egypt. But Pharaoh will not listen. So I will stretch out my hand and smite Egypt with all my wonders! Take the staff in your hand, Moses. With it, you shall do my wonders!"

Next came the second battle of Stone-in-the-wood and the discovery of the shard… persuading the Mariner to join their cause… The flow of images ceased abruptly and the four pulled away.

Moses almost fell back, his wife -whose name was Tzipporah- went to him. "What was that?

"That was dreamfasting, we gelfling use it to share our memories." Rian responded. "I never thought Liron would be able to manage it."

"Share his story with the hands… that’s what he meant! Dreamfasting!" Moses gasped.

"Those ones with strange headdresses are Egyptians? Do they all act this way towards other clans?" Liron frowned, remembering words and several important details of the dreamfasting.

"It seems so cruel even to us!" Sulin huffed.

Liron shook his head, "If this is what it means being man, I don’t think it’s for me." He shuddered, oppressing another race was bad enough, but killing children—infants! It turned his blood to ice with horror.

"Yet you are. It is no coincidence that you were the only one to have survive the attack of that… that…"

Liron explained. "The other Skeksis called him SkekMal the Hunter. As we’ve both witnessed, he was responsible for the death of my…" he stopped, looking to Sulin. He didn’t want to hurt her with his words.

Sulin only nods, "It’s alright, go ahead."

"My birth parents."

"Skeksis… that’s what those giant vultures are?" The man questioned.

"Giant vultures? The Egyptians? You saw all this when you held hands?" The woman asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"Not to interrupt this enlightening conversation, but could we perhaps do this preferably in hiding?" One of the scouts asked. "And away from the gobble patch?"

"Gobbles?" questioned Tzipporah.

"That’s why I threw the spear to block your path…" Liron pointed out. To demonstrate, he picked up a fallen fruit and tossed it into the patch.

Immediately the meat-eating plants rippled and began wrapping themselves around the fruit and dragging it downwards. The couple didn’t need to be told to twice to heed the boy’s warning to put considerable distance between themselves and the patch.

"This explains everything, your parents were Hebrews like me. That’s what our race is called." Moses attempted to elaborate to the younger man as they followed the scouts. "From what I’ve seen, they must’ve escaped Egypt to avoid the Pharaoh’s decree thus you were born here... in Thra, away from poverty and slavery."

Sulin looked dismayed, so her adoptive son came from a taller race that was unfairly enslaved by another that looked similar yet acted almost no better than the skeksis.

Rian scowled. "But tell us, why did these Egyptians make Liron’s clan into slaves?"

Moses answered gravely. "They saw the Hebrews had grown too numerous and feared that we would have assumedly joined up with Egypt’s enemies."

"The Castle Skeksis would probably be laughing like lunatics if they ever found out I- one of their ex-guards is the son of foreign slaves that joined the gelfling rebellion." Liron said flatly.

Gurjin looked grim. "I can easily imagine it."

It did not take long for them to lead the visitors to their new hideout. Since the Garthim attacks began, the gelfling clans had taken to leaving their ancestral homes, evacuating as many further into Thra’s wilderness as much as possible. There was no more room for insignificant differences all that mattered now was saving as many gelfling as possible and escaping the skeksis. Already the Grottans and the Spriton had taken refuge within one of the oldest trees as many of those that could still fight gathered round with the leaders of the Resistance.

The circumference of their hideaway is great enough to house a great number of clan members. Covered in large knotholes and honeycombed with natural hollows and alcoves for the new inhabitants.

All the gathered gelfling were as stunned as the scouts to see that Aughra’s words were true. Rian, Deet and the other leaders of the gelfling resistance met with them as did the only two skeksis they’d recruited to their side: The Mariner and the Heretic with his counterpart the Wanderer.

Naturally, the couple tensed up at once, admittedly fearful of the two bird-like beings looming over them. The first one was in some rough tan robes with strange crimson symbols and considerably hairier in the back compared to the Mariner.

SkekSa looked like some colorful bird of prey, but bigger. So much bigger. But the other creature was one of the strangest they’ve seen so far. He was grey, long-necked and wore garments the color of soot.

However, Aughra was much more baffling. She was only a few inches taller than the gelfling but certainly far older than anyone or anything else within the hideout.

They all had much to discuss and so much more to accomplish. First, Moses explained what he and Tzipporah were doing in the dark wood. He began by telling them his story up until he elaborated the mission he was entrusted to free his people (whom now everyone present knew to be Liron’s race).

"The voice you heard, what did it sound like?" SkekGra wondered, he had been listening attentively to everything.

"Free your people from this ruler – the Pharaoh, but where will you go?" Maudra Seethi questioned.

"God has promised us the land of our ancestors so that we will become a great nation." Moses said to them. "A land flowing with milk and honey."

"But this quest you embark on would surely take weeks, if not months!"

"Tell us about your god." asked one of the gelfling.

"Our god has no face, nor form." Moses tried best explained to them. "Elohim, El Shaddai, Yahweh, Adonai…"

" _Y Tawd Mar_." Aughra intoned as if in deep thought then said, "The Great Father. Hundreds of trine since Thra had last reached out to him…"

"But that can’t be right! The Crystal has always been there even in the stories—" Maudra Mera interjected.

"And where did the Crystal’s very first song come from then, hmm?" Aughra interrupts. "Who answered Thra’s wish provide voice to speak and eyes to see?"

"But didn’t Thra come into existence by a song?" Brea pondered. "And yet no one knows where it come from nor how it created everything else. We never seen any humans not since…

"Not since we met Liron." Gurjin added.

Tzipporah shrugged, "I lived in Midian with my family for years and never imagined finding an entirely new civilization one of not just three but seven tribes out in this fertile new land."

"The bewilderment is mutual." SkekSa surmised pensively. "I sailed with the Sifan for many trines and never discovered quite anything yourselves either."

"Keep asking how yet you’ve never stopped to ask why?" Aughra grumbled. "Mankind and gelfling nor skeksis know nothing. When will you learn not to rely on what you can only see and touch? Life always tumultuous full of twists and turns. Must often need faith regardless of what you do."

"Perhaps you can better answer why are you all in hiding?" Tzipporah questions. "What are you all so afraid of?"

"Why? It’s not as though, we are being sold or used as slaves like your nation, but we are being wiped out." Naia responded.

As expected the couple was stunned. "How? Why?"

"Because of the castle skeksis." SkekGra explained.

"The Crystal of Truth is the source of all life which nourished itself with the rays of the Sun and distributed the vitalizing energies throughout the land." Rian elucidated gravely, "But the skeksis who reside in the castle have corrupted it."

SkekGra and SkekSa explained the moment they possessed the Crystal, they abused it. For trine they siphoned its lifeforce to extend their own lives while proclaiming themselves Thra's rulers. And in so doing, their corruption created the Darkening, a noxious blight wreaking devastation and madness upon the plants and local wildlife. Then sometime afterwards, the Crystal began to cease giving its energy away, with the Skeksis emperor SkekSo ordering SkekTek to devise an alternative means.

However, SkekTek discovered a grisly method: it involved twisting the Crystal’s energies to strip away other beings' essence for the Skeksis to reinvigorate themselves by feasting on said life-force.

The divulgence chilled the visitors to the bone. It was unspeakable!

Next, Liron told of how Rian, Brea, and Deet—inspired the rebellion and how the skeksis were already counterattacking with their new army: the Garthim.

"Please if your god can find it in his heart to do so. Can he help us?"

The couple looked into their pleading eyes. He now knew the cause as to why the inhabitants of the land cried out for deliverance.

Moses said nothing for a moment then he became stern as he said. "There are no strangers among those who seek God's mercy. All who thirst for freedom may come with us. That’s another reason we entered Thra, we’ve come to fetch the boy Liron."

"But what for?" Nenad – the third survivor of the failed castle uprising- cried.

"The Lord of our ancestors has declared that he and a lost gelfling child be the one to lead the gelfling out of Thra."

"Me, sir?" Liron was greatly taken aback.

"Bring us out of Thra?" Deet gasped. "But to where?"

"Where else?" Aughra put her hands on her hips. "With Liron’s people, whether you return to Thra will be a matter of time or choice."

"You said there was a lost gelfling child…?" Maudra Ethri questioned.

"I was informed that she is one that was raised amongst my people in Egypt."

The response surprised everyone listening.

"A gelfling living so far from Thra? From the Crystal?"

"Extraordinary!"

The clan maudras and the resistance leaders spoke with the Deliverer and his bride for hours before they reached a plan. With the blessing of the Lord and Aughra’s words of wisdom, they all agreed to provide safe passage through Thra then if need be, the gelfling will join the Hebrews on their pilgrimage to the land of milk and honey.

Choosing who would leave with Liron to join Moses in Egypt had come down to a diplomatic vote. Sulin, Liron’s adoptive mother, Fierce Naia of the Drenchen clan, Amri, a young Grottan boy and SkekSa the Mariner would be joining them.

SkekSa brough some water carriers. "We’ll need transport and plenty water."

Naia pointed out. "But we can’t all fit on a Crystal skimmer."

"Are we taking these blades to face the Egyptians while we free the Hebrews?" asked Amri as they were packing.

Tzipporah shook her head. "No. The weapons you bring will be mostly for defense. There are other dangers in the desert aside from the usual beasts, we may run into bandits out there, perhaps even the Amalekites. "

"Amalekites?"

Moses became stern. "They would gladly steal any valuables and supplies if they’re in the mood. Believe me, I've seen my share of dangers while in Midian. I know how crucial our weapons will be, though I pray we may not need them."

And so, by early morning at the edge of the Crystal desert, they departed. Moses and Tzipporah by camel and the other rode two daedoyim with the aid of the Dousan gelfling.

The dunes were home to reedy plants which could easily be mistaken for rock formations during the day, but which bloomed at night, providing food to insects, birds and other desert fauna. Three hours later they notice that the larger crystalline rocks of the desert had started to become scarce and gave way to more rugged terrain. This meant they finally crossed the borders of Thra.

As they reached an area with more rocks, SkekSa suddenly raised her snout to the air and began sniffing. "Someone or something else is here with us."

Everyone paused to listen intently. Were they friend or foe?

"Moses..?" A man in ragged clothes stepped out tentatively from around a rocky hill. His hair and eyes were the exact same color of that of Moses.

"Aaron!" Moses’ face lit up at the sight of the other man.

"I was waiting for you… brother."

The two men embraced while the others watched silently.

"I hardly recognized you. You let your hair and beard grow out, and those clothes."

"You thought I’d look mor like an Egyptian? I’m a shepherd now."

"Do you have any idea of the shock I felt when…" he paused for words. "When the very God spoke to me by my own name and ordered me to fetch you and another in the desert?"

"Can’t be any less than mine. He convinced me to accept this mission. How is everyone?"

"Our parents and Miriam are alright, they never lost hope that you’d return."

"I can’t believe I’ll be seeing them again after all this time."

"Wait till you see how much our family has grown, I even have a grandson."

"That’s excellent news!"

"Did you marry?"

"Yes, as you can see I have a wonderful wife and our two boys are with their grandfather."

That was when Aaron finally noticed the others. He’d frozen in perplexion when he saw the gelfling, "Who are they? They look like… _Herut_."

"Is that the name of the gelfling in your village?" One of them asked.

"It’s a long story to tell and I better introduce you." Moses explained.

"We’ve got time." Amri nods.

They all introduced themselves Liron was the last.

"And I’m Liron."

Aaron’s eyes widened. "Liron?! You! You’re the boy--"

Naia nods. "Yes, and that supposedly a gelfling living with your people are supposed to lead the clans out of Thra until the Great Conjunction."

That evening they talked some more.

"It’s so strange an ex-prince of Egypt making a fire in the middle of the desert." Aaron remarked.

"Much has changed brother."

"Two human men with shepherd’s rods are going to free thousands."

SkekSa smiled grimly. "Not half as strange as a boy and a lost gelfling leading all seven clans out of Thra to join your people to this Promised Land."

"It’s only possible with God." smiled Moses.

"Around this time, Rian and the rest must be gathering the other clans," Liron commented soberly. "I hope they’re alright."

They exchange stories with Liron starting with the stories of their people and the Hebrew Patriarch Abraham. Sulin, SkekSa and the others listened with the intention of perhaps better understanding this entirely new culture that belonged to the ancestors of Liron.

"A long time ago when I was a child... " Aaron began to tell his story.

Everything had started the day it became clear that the descendants of Abraham and Joseph were becoming ever-more numerous, multiplying in proportion to their ever-increasing burden. The Pharaoh had to listen constantly to his counselors' fears: "What will happen when the Hebrews are equal in number to the people? What will happen if they become aware of their own strength? If war comes, they will side with our enemies! If we're wise, we'll destroy the seeds of revolt before they bear fruit. Let us exhaust them in work! Let us stop them from multiplying!"

Nevertheless when the Egyptians saw that the oppression did not lessen the Hebrew numbers, the Pharaoh Seti decided that all the firstborn sons of the Hebrews to be condemned to a watery grave. How to describe the cries, the tears, the weeping of women already big with child? Many hid, or lied to save their sons. Others invented all kinds of subterfuges to avoid their being put to death.

Each person's newborn son became everyone's newborn son. The male infants were hidden, protected and defended until they were forcibly wrenched from their families, who tried never to look at the crocodile-infested Nile again.

Among them was Yocheved, the mother to Moses, Aaron and their older sister Miriam, she hid him for three months until she could hide him no longer. To save her youngest son's life, she waterproofed a basket and put the baby in it. Then released him in the flow of River Nile. The basket then fell in the hands of the Pharaoh’s daughter, Princess Henutmire, who was bathing in the river. Moved with compassion when she discovered the baby boy, she decided to adopt him. Taking a chance, Miriam offered to find a Hebrew woman to nurse the child. The Pharaoh's daughter agreed and so Miriam called her mother, who was appointed to take care of him. Thus Yocheved nursed her son until he was old enough to bring him to the princess, who then lovingly raised him as her own child.

In turn Liron told them what he best remembered from the dream-fasting session. But he was so little when it happened.

"There was nothing I could do for my mother or father." Liron was saying, "For years I wondered why I was so different from the gelfling, or if I was the very last of my kind, now I know."

Aaron had visibly shivered when Liron explained what the skeksis were doing to the gelfling and why they’d be joining their people once they were freed. He’s still wary and afraid to go anywhere near SkekSa.

"It’s curious, all of us sitting around this campfire, making confessions involving our entire lives." Aaron comments.

"Two brothers separated now reunited, a Hebrew foundling, three gelfling from different clans and a renegade skeksis." Sulin chimed. "We must be quite a sight."

"Perhaps that was also God’s plan when he put each of us in charge of our respective missions." Moses remarked looking round at the group.

Looking at him that night, he seemed so wise... and ancient... like the first man that ever walked the land. Liron just hoped that one day he could be like him.

"And we’re doing it all together as one."

**_To be continued…_ **


	8. Return to Egypt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moses and Aaron return to Egypt accompanied and ready to free their people. While Herut shows kind support to Sapphira.

The following day they set off for Egypt. It would take them a couple days more. The first day a few Amalekites spotted them. SkekSa, Naia and Liron prepared to fight however Moses gladly surrendered a gold piece he’d intended to return to Ramses.

Meanwhile back in Egypt, no one else knew it then but Eldad had paid Amram a visit and discovered the truth. The following morning he tells Zelophahad the good news but to keep it quiet for the moment.

Despite already knowing this, Herut was terribly worried. Her father has told her that Mr. Amram wasn’t looking too good for the past days. Also this morning she and the other watched as Dathan dragged out a weeping Sapphira, accusing her of adultery.

The Hebrew bystanders and neighbors had all started shouting and accusing poor Sapphira of adultery.

Herut then began yelling, "But that’s not true! Korach has always bothered Sapphira and that horrible old hag Bina blames her sister for it!"

She didn’t even know what’s come over her. Perhaps it was some form of childish camaraderie for one of the only other adult woman that treated her and her mother with kindness.

"Herut!" Menuha covers the young girl’s mouth. She was afraid that the angry crowd might turn on her next for they were already picking up stones and getting ready to pelt Sapphira with them.

Not that it mattered, Bina then came out of the house and put on a false betrayed attitude.

"This woman- my own sister tried to seduce my husband in my house!" The plain woman groused. "But even so, I’ll never forgive myself if I give into hate and vengeance. That’s why I beg you, Dathan, let her go. Let her carry the wounds of guilt and betrayal."

Herut only shot Bina a withering look. She wasn’t fooling her, Bina never liked any woman that’s remotely near her husband. And Dathan is an idiot to believe her over his wife!

When Sapphira reluctantly walked out of the village, Herut glanced left and right before following. She weaved through the streets, watching as the poor woman was scared off by some Egyptian harridan.

"Miss Sapphira!" Herut jogged to catch up.

The woman wiped her eyes and blinked as the younger woman caught up. "Herut? You shouldn’t be out here."

"But what they did to you wasn’t right. I brought you some bread."

Sapphira took the loaf gratefully, "Thank you, you should get back before they notice you’re gone."

"Before you say anything else, I don’t believe a word that came out of Bina’s mouth. And Dathan’s not much of a man right about now."

To their utter bewilderment, an Egyptian man came up to talk to Sapphira. He was Amos, the owner of the house of Senet – a place of ill repute. Poor Sapphira felt she had no other alternative but to go there for shelter and a possible job now that his husband disowned her. Regardless of the circumstances, Herut would always secretly sneak out to visit her whenever it was possible seeing as Mrs. Yocheved was unable to talk reason into Bina.

\-----

_Days later…_

The two Daeydoim carrying the other passengers walked up the hill following the camel before suddenly stopping as Moses and Aaron disembark briefly. The two desert dwelling beasts made an excited sound to the sleeping ones. When they didn’t stir, the daeydoim jerked sideways. The abrupt movements caused the riders to stir.

"We’ll get here soon – wow." Liron had mumbled at first before gasping.

The sleeping passengers got up and stared in awe at the astonishing view.

Sulin gaped. "Is this Egypt?"

"Yes." Tzipporah said grimly.

Moses looked out into the city, feeling deeply nostalgic. "I never thought I’d set foot here again."

"Only God was able to bring you back and with Diyshan’s grandson." Aaron remarks.

"So many memories…Happy, sad and bitter ones."

"It’s not the same place you left."

"The city has changed so much since I was here last."

"I wager the skeksis Emperor himself doesn’t have a view like this. It doesn’t even compare to the gelfling capital." SkekSa said proudly.

"Because of the sweat and blood of our people, all to satisfy the ego of Ramses."

Moses reassured him. "That’s going to end, very soon we will be a free nation with the aid of God."

"Amen."

SkekSa agreed. "Then I suggest we get started."

Aaron protested in alarm. "Wait, we can’t just go down there in broad daylight – remember none of the Egyptians nor the Hebrews have ever seen a skeksis. We’ll have to disguise you."

Tzipporah pulled out some clothes. "I have an idea."

Minutes later, they walked into the city. Moses, Aaron and the others had scarves meant for desert travel wrapped around their heads and faces. SkekSa wore something similar but just enough for passerby to mistake her, Naia and Tzipporah for some exotic ladies from faraway lands.

The visitors from Thra gaped and gawked at the sights. The River Nile was like an ocean to them. The gleaming cities of Egypt, overpopulated and bustling, amazed them. The marble statues and temples and granite houses astonished them. The refinement of the linen-clad hairless (and wingless) people dumb-founded them.

However that wasn’t all they saw.

Blades chopping straw... mattocks chopping clay, a ceaseless cycle of unending drudgery. From the mixing feet of treaders to the pouring hands of brick molders moves the constant stream of mud, the lowly seed of tall cities.

How poorly dressed were the Hebrew slaves, how their sandals were cracked and dangling, how some had none. How the covering on their bent backs was scarcely enough to keep off the sun. Sometimes they were half-naked, their rags torn off them by the overseer's lash. On skin and rags there were often stripes of dark blood that soaked up the dust. How their thin arms strained to lift the loads, and imagined the state of their bare hands that had to rub all day against stone made rougher by clinging sand.

From dawn to night, insults, cries, accidents, and humiliation were the slaves' constant diet. As punishment, the weakest were set to making bricks, stamping on mud weighted with straw until they could no longer lift their feet. Anyone no longer able to stamp is beaten until he falls in the mud and chokes. Then the overseer beats him again because he's stopped stamping. If his companions try to help him, they, too, are beaten.

The Hebrew’s plight was so much worse than they thought. Many times Liron stared into their sorrow filled eyes and felt his entire being swell with empathy. This. This was where he’d come from. Near him, Sulin’s own eyes shone with unshed tears.

"Look at… all of them." Amri mumbled in awe.

"So many people." SkekSa whispered.

"It was a good thing we all went in disguised." Aaron nodded.

"I don’t want the news of my return to spread out and reach Ramses, there’s still so many things for me to resolve before I face him." said Moses. "So many things come to mind. So many memories, these streets, these houses…"

"That’s an awful lot of statues. Even SkekSo was never this egocentric." Liron remarks.

"What’s this skeksis Emperor like?" Aaron asked.

"Terrible." Liron frowned. "By the grace of the Lord, you’ll most likely never meet him face to face."

An Egyptian beggar woman carrying statues had bumped into a disguised Moses. "By Isis, watch where you’re going!"

"We were walking here earlier, you wretched old crone!" SkekSa snarled. She towered a good foot above the ragged woman.

The vagrant back up nervously before glaring and stomping away, muttering to herself.

"Not too friendly." Naia snarked.

"SkekSa, please, remember freeing the Hebrews is our priority." Sulin whispered urgently to the skeksis.

"What is it?" Tzipporah noticed her husband’s stunned expression.

"That woman…"

Aaron glanced over. "That’s some madwoman who claims to be the mother of the Queen."

"But she is. Moses confirmed. "That was Yunet, mother to Nefertari and handmaid to my Egyptian mother."

"Are you sure?!" Liron stared.

"Of course, it’s her."

"Well she’s no handmaid now." Aaron explained. "She’s lived in the streets for years, I always thought she was mad."

"What could she have done to get herself thrown out of the palace and become a beggar?"

"It had to have been quite serious to be banished out like this." SkekSa remarked.

Aaron said to Moses. "You’re going to see that many things have changed since you were last here. The only thing that persists is the slavery of our people and much more suffering."

"It won’t be that way for much longer, brother."

"Not to pry, but now that we’re in Egypt, where exactly are we to spend the night?" Naia interjected. "And do you know where the gelfling you speak of… this Herut, lives?"

"In the village of Goshen, we’ll show you." Aaron motioned with his head for them to follow.

The slaves' village sprawled at the bottom of a disused quarry. The houses were shanties of rough brick, built back-to-back. They all looked the same, each with a door and a hole in the roof through which the smoke escaped from the hearth. 

After mutually agreeing to let Herut’s family know before they’d reunite that evening, Aaron took Naia, Amri and SkekSa to his home. Moses with Tzipporah then led Liron and Sulin to his parents’ house.

Moses knocked on the door and an elderly woman answered. When she saw him she gasped softly. "Son…"

"Aren’t you going to give me a hug?"

The woman softly reached her hands out before taking him into an embrace. From the inside, another woman this one considerably younger and with wavy brown hair approached and her face lit up at the sight. "Moses!" She cried in joy.

Naturally as expected the newcomers who arrived with the two brothers had taken the families by utter surprise. Aaron even had to tell his sons not to stare too much at the visitors. That very same night the families persuaded Herut and her parents to join them for the big news they wished to share that concerned them.

"Father, everyone else. There’s more we want you to meet and brace yourselves, one of them is – well might not look as you expect."

Aaron’s family led them to his parents’ home, where they were amazed to see the other guests joining them there. The lost boy accompanied by three beings that greatly resembled the adoptive daughter of their next-door neighbor and another sentient being.

The one with teal dreadlocks and the somewhat older brunette walked to Herut, looking at her intently.

Herut stared back and gasped. "You’re a girl! She’s a girl like me!"

Sulin nods. "Yes, but we never imagined finding others out so far past the Crystal Sea. How long how have Hebrews all been here?"

"Four hundred years." Yocheved responded sadly.

Agnes, Aaron’s daughter in law, blinked at the gelfling. "We? There’s _more_ of you?"

Naia looked at Herut thoughtfully and mumbling possible theories. "Your wings... and the shade of your eyes... Uh-hmm. You’ve certainly have the physical traits of the Spriton, those are the gelfling who live in the plains. And yet, the markings and hair curls fit best with the Sifa."

The families were full of questions and stories to share with each other and their guests. Aaron’s sons explained that Apuki the slave master has focused his anger on Hosea with Aaron’s disappearance due to the latter’s involvement with Anna.

"We have so many things yet to speak of that one dinner will not be enough." Amram declared. "But seeing my entire family reunited: my children, my grandsons, daughters in law and even my great grandson. Above all honoring my life partner, who has been my rock for so many years even in the darkest of times. However none of it could’ve been as critical as the decree of Pharaoh Seti’s decree…condemning every newborn Hebrew baby boy to die."

Everyone in the room tensed considerably, knowing what he was talking about. For the gelfling and Mariner had heard this straight from Moses himself the first night in the desert around the campfire. A fact that never fails to curdle their blood.

However, Amram and Yocheved knew their youngest son was destined for many great things, putting their faith in the Lord, knowing he would keep Moses from harm. The odds were against them but their faith continues to prevail as it had with the patriarch of the Hebrews, Abraham, who had a son in his old age with his equally elderly wife Sarah. As Jacob had fought with an angel to be blessed and became Israel, and with his beloved, Rachel, who bore him a son despite being sterile. And Joseph, who was a slave and reached the highest position in Egypt to save thousands from famine. All of them had seen these promises come to fruition because they had chosen to believe.

Liron listened carefully then thought back to his own past, to events that seemed too strange and extraordinary to be a mere coincidence: How SkekGra, having been as vicious as his comrades had changed his ways so that he and his Mystic counterpart led Rian, Deet and Brea on the right path. How despite suffering such terrible losses, Rian is now spearheading the gelfling rebellion against the castle skeksis so that no one else would share Mira’s fate. How Brea’s curiosity about the Aureyal lead to her to the missing Crystal shard. How Herut had somehow survived a long trek into the home of a childless couple that took her in as their own… Sulin and Liron’s own story. A Stonewood widow and a recently orphaned infant became a family.

"There’s still a long road ahead of before we reclaim the land that was promised to Israel long ago back when Abraham was but one man." Amram was saying, "Now we are thousands… And that’s why we all must keep believing because it is God’s will. So that our dream of freedom may come true, and we can gladly welcome the gelfling to join us."

"Amen."

"Hallelujah."

"Baruch Adonai."

"Thank you." Amri and Sulin nodded, Naia bowed her head respectfully. Liron and SkekSa smiled warmly.

"But please tell us about Thra," one of Aaron’s older sons requested. "Is it anything like Egypt?"

"Nay, Thra never had as many statues or buildings like these or those belonging to the Egyptians." SkekSa replied nonchalantly. "I live for the open seas, and spend countless seasons on the ships with the Sifa."

"That was one of the tribes Naia mentioned could be from Herut’s blood family, isn’t it?" Menuha questioned. "What are they like?"

Everyone else looked to the guests inquisitively, they wanted to know more about Herut’s people and the region she originally came from.

"Yes, they are a clan of skilled sailors and fishermen." Naia explained. "Living so close to were more inclusive than other clans, regularly accepting non-Sifa within their ranks. The Sifa coast is a cold, icy region of Thra's northern coast which ran from the windward side of the Claw Mountains to the northern Silver Sea. Their home port was Cera-Na, situated in a bay on the ocean side of the Claw Mountains."

"What about the other clan that lived in the plains?" Eber was the next to ask.

Sulin answered next. "The Spriton clan are farmers and craftsmen, known best for their agricultural wisdom. They are neighbors living south of the Endless Forest bordering the territories of my clan and Liron’s: Stonewood in the north and the Drenchen in the south, which is Naia’s clan."

"From which one is Amri?" asked Eleazar.

"I am Grottan, we take our names from the underground caves."

"I wish I could see Thra." Herut said wistfully. Just mentioning all these places made her wish to see them even more and simultaneously feeling guilty for possibly hurting her adoptive family for saying so.

Liron looked around then cleared his throat. "I could make a wild suggestion on giving you all good idea on where we hail from and what has happened…"

SkekSa looked rather uncomfortable, Amri was uncertain. "I don’t know if you can manage to dreamfast here like you had with Moses."

"Dreamfast?" Hosea wondered. "What’s that?"

"It’s what gelflings do – we share our memories with one another." Naia explained.

"I’ve never been able to do so, until I’ve met Moses and Aaron." Liron admits. "Perhaps if it would help, I’d like to show you all what Thra looks like and you wouldn’t need to leave your home to do it."

"Can you?"

"If Mother, Naia and Amri can aid me and Herut if she’s interested."

Herut blinked, intrigued. "I’d like that. But is it possible?"

There’s only one way to find out. Amram reached out his hand until it touched Liron’s left palm and with the other one he held Naia’s. Yocheved, Miriam, Herut, Eber, Menuha and Aaron’s family reached out their hands until each one’s (with the exception of SkekSa, who observed contemplatively) hands had made contact with another.

It seemed improbable even with present hopeful circumstances, but once again their doubts were dispelled. For the moment that their hands made contact, like a gentle stream, the memories trickled into their mind’s eyes.

They see everything beautiful in Thra, from the snowy Mountain city of Ha'rar. The Sifan coast and it’s vast gelfling community. The Endless green forest, home to the fierce Stonewood gelfling and to Liron. The Great Smerth that lay within the swamp where the Drenchen lived. The plains of the Spriton clan and their harvests. The Crystal desert, so different from Egypt and Midian in many ways. And the Caves of Grot which instead of being bleak and dark, were filled with gentle blue lights that glittered the night sky.

When they pulled away they were all wonderstruck.

"What a wondrous gift!" gasped Elisheba.

"All gelfling can do it." Amri shrugged.

"But it is a gift – you said so yourselves, Liron was unable to do so in Thra." Hosea expressed earnestly. "And none of us can share our memories the way you all do, only in stories with words."

"That part’s true, telling stories through words has always been a tradition even now." Tzipporah explained to the surprised visitors.

Soon they had a little celebration of their own, mostly to express their happiness and their hope of Freedom. Even SkekSa was clapping her hands to the beat of their song.

_Haleli nashi et-adonai_

_Elohai gadol hameod_

(My soul praises the Lord

My Great God)

_Ahhh Ashiraha Laa A Adonai_

_Ahhh Ashiraha Laa A Adonai_

(I will sing to the Lord)

In the midst of their singing and dancing, Amram had spoken privately with all three of his children, giving them words of faith and encouragement. Afterwards, when they were retiring to sleep Amram gave his blessing to their visitors and heartening them to remember his words: "God doesn’t choose perfect people, nor the prepared ones. He molds them, forges them until they are ready for his plan."

Liron, Sulin and SkekSa spent the night there, while Naia and Amri rested next door in the home of Herut’s adoptive parents.

\----

But the following morning, Amram had passed away in his sleep. They’d found out just as Sulin was sharing extra food supplies with Miriam at the sound of Yocheved’s weeping. Then Hosea informed Eber who broke the news to Menuha and their guests.

"My dear daughter," Menuha said to Herut in a shaky voice. "Amram... he has finally departed to be with the Lord."

Herut buried her face in her arms and sobbed. Menuha knelt beside her and put her arms around Herut as Naia and Amri looked on.

The death of Moses’ birth father didn't have exactly the same effect on those who’d come with them. Tzipporah empathized with her husband’s grief and attempted to stay strong for him. SkekSa, despite being a skeksis and fearing death, felt pity and thought it awful that one of the humans who’d warmly welcomed them into his house to perish the following day. All three gelfling, having Liron as their friend and just having met Moses and his family, were almost in shock as you might feel about the recent news of a beloved family member’s death. But Liron, being a Thra-born Hebrew, as the only people even remotely like him he's ever met he's latched on particularly hard to Moses, Tzipporah and Aaron, then by extension to their family, to the point of listening to Amram without question. Upon hearing of his death, he was as bereft as Miriam and Herut.

That same day was Amram’s funeral, a line of Hebrews joined by the disguised visitors walked to a secluded area outside the village behind his family. His sons and two of his grandsons holding the litter that carried his body.

Herut cried even after he was buried. Miriam accompanied Yocheved as did Tzipporah. Liron was downhearted while Sulin and the others’ ears drooped sympathetically in their disguises. SkekSa was uncharacteristically silent, not knowing what to say.

"It makes me so sad," gasped Herut, "when I think of listening to the stories Mr. Amram used to tell ..."

"Yes," Eber responded kindly. "Memories can make your heart ache with sorrow. But it is always good to remember happy times as well. Indeed, as long as you remember him, he won't be truly gone."

Aaron and Moses were also still disguised, speaking in low voices before nodding to one another. Then Aaron removed the scarf hiding his face, surprising the crowd of gathered Hebrews.

"I know many of you didn’t expect to see me here, but it is God who guides each and every one of our steps." Aaron addressed the crowd, "I learned that from my father, who has departed in his old age… happily into the arms of the Lord! It’s true that I’ve always been so stubborn, my mother and wife here as witnesses but my father was always a strong, brave man and unlike me, undoubting of his faith. He always believed in passing on the stories of our ancestors to newer generations and never doubted that God would fulfill the promise he’d made to Abraham: that the Hebrews would become a great nation! That our people would be free!"

"Num also believed in that, as does his son, Hosea, who never gave up on his faith! My father died peacefully because his obstinate son had finally believed as much as him, people like my father, like Num, like my mother, my sister Miriam and many more who never stopped believing. " He said this last part looking at a tearful Herut.

"For I have heard him!" Aaron declared strongly, "I left Egypt following the command of the Lord God himself! He spoke with me!"

The Hebrews gasped and reacted in astonishment.

"God has heard the outcry of his people and sent me to find the Deliverer!"

Aaron nods to his brother, who step to face the crowd and removed his scarf to reveal his face. Almost no one recognized him except for one young man who brightened.

"Moses! It’s Moses, the prince of Egypt!"

There were shouts of joy from the Hebrews.

"No, I’m no longer a prince of Egypt, but one of you!" Moses said to them. "God has sent me to free our people from slavery and to lead them back our homeland. A good land flowing with milk and honey. The time has come to become free and strong people. I grew up in the Pharaoh’s palace but I have Hebrew blood running through my veins, many of you don’t know me but I am brother to Aaron and Miriam, son to Yocheved and Amram. Many of you do not know me but you know my father, honoring a man who never lost his faith in the promises God had made. Our people cried out to him and he has heard us! And Aaron and I have answered his call! " Korach then raised his hand skeptically. "You’re trying to say that God spoke to both of you?" 

"Yes." Moses nodded.

"And why should we believe that?" Korach sneered. "Doesn’t it sound pretentious of you to come here declaring yourself as the Deliverer?"

"Who is that?" Naia whispered with a scowl.

Herut huffed. "That’s Korach, Aaron and Miriam’s cousin. He’s a two-faced thug and his wife Bina is really mean compared to their two sons who are always friendly to me in all the time I lived here."

"Better be keeping an eye on that one." SkekSa warned sternly, "He sounds like the Chamberlain only without the whimper and sniveling mannerisms."

"Now’s not the time, Korach!" Aaron scolded. You know how much I questioned our faith! And if I’m here before all of you, it’s because it’s the truth! God spoke to me as he did with my brother. Now everyone go back to your home and respective jobs. Please do not mention this to anyone else, we’re all going to gather around with the elders at the end of the day in the village so you will know everything, for there much more to reveal.

**_To be continued…_ **


End file.
